Statin-induced Liver Injury Patterns: A Clinical Review

Since their introduction in 1987, hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA) inhibitors, more commonly known as statins, have become some of the most widely prescribed medications in the world. Though generally considered to be safe and well tolerated, statins have been associated with several side effects including mild liver dysfunction manifested by increases in aminotransferases. Rarely, statins have been noted to induce more serious hepatic injury, including liver injury with autoimmune features. Current literature supports statin induced liver injury presenting in either hepatocellular or cholestatic patterns, though with the former being the prevailing pattern of injury. Fortunately, severe liver injury is uncommon with statin use and is generally reversible without any intervention other than offending statin cessation. When evaluating cases of suspected statin-induced liver injury, a complete medical history, laboratory tests including a complete metabolic panel, autoimmune markers, and viral panel, as well as hepatic imaging, are crucial for a complete causality analysis with validated tools such as Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method. The aim of this review is to review the current evidence for statin-induced liver injury and cholestasis.