[Inflammatory diseases with liver and joint involvement. A differential diagnostic challenge]

Abstract

Elevated levels of liver enzymes in patients with rheumatic symptoms require a comprehensive differential diagnostic thought process. On the one hand there can be hepatic involvement of primarily rheumatological diseases but this is quite rare. Drug-induced liver injury by antirheumatic medication is more frequent. On the other hand arthralgia can be a sign of primary hepatopathy whereby hemochromatosis and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are typical examples. Furthermore, some liver diseases are associated with rheumatological diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV). Only an exact diagnosis will lead to specific treatment which will improve the symptoms and course of disease.