Journal of Medical Sciences1682-44741812-5727Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jms.2006.44.47MoodBatool Sharifi-KouhpayehHamid- RezaSalehiMasoud 1200661In order to evaluate the incidence of antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity among tuberculosis patients, a retrospective study was conducted in Zahedan, Southeast of Iran, where, tuberculosis is endemic. A total of seven hundreds tuberculous patients who, were treated with antituberculous drugs, during 5 years in Boo-Ali Hospital in Zahedan, were evaluated. Of the 700 patients, 60 cases had hepatotoxicity. The mean duration of treatment before the onset of hepatotoxicity was 31.07+/-30.30 days. The rate of hepatotoxicity increased with increasing age and there were trends toward increased rates in women (Relative risk = 1.38; 95% Confidence interval [CI = 0.8-2.3]; p = 0.2 ). The frequency of the hepatitis between two groups of the Iranian and Afghanian patients was equal (Relative risk = 0.98; (95% Confidence interval [CI = 0.51-1.88]; p>0.05). The incidence of hepatotoxicity within this area has increased during the past decade, rising by 4.2% from 1995-1999 to 2000-2005. A finding of an 8.5% incidence of hepatotoxicity is considerably high. On the basis of these findings, the antituberculosis drugs most likely responsible for the occurrence of hepatitis during therapy for active tuberculosis in female gender and older patients Temporary withdrawal of the offending drug can completely cure antituberculous drug- induced hepatotoxicity.]]>Kopanoff, D.E., D.E. Sinderand and G.J. Caras,19881179911001Schaberg, T., K. Rebhan and H. Lode,199521929932Frank, A.l., N.J. Binkin and N.J. Sinder,1989104151155Durand, F., J. Bernuau and D. Pessayre,199521929932Aliand, M. and R. Alavi-Naini,2003711861190Ungo, R., J.D. Jones and D. Ashkian,199815718711876Alavi-Naini, R., H.R. Kouhpayeh and B. Sharifi,20002000pp: 6868Sharma, S.K., A. Balamurugan, P.K. Saha, R.M. Pandey and N.K. Mehra,2002166916919Nolan, C.M., S.V. Goldberg and S.E. Buskin,199928110141018Yee, D., C. Valiquette, M. Pelletier, I. Parisien, I. Rocher and D. Menzies,200316714721477Emami, Z. and K. Tayeri,20032003pp: 8484Shakya, R., B.S. Rao and B. Sherstha,20043610741079Dossing, M., J.T.R. Wilcke, D.S. Askgaard and B. Nybo, 199677335340Bakayev, V.,20042004pp: 2431