Case Reports in Gastroenterology (Sep 2022)
Cholestatic Liver Injury in a Patient with Tertiary Syphilis
Abstract
Syphilis is a common infection that has variable presentations. We report a rare case of a 64-year-old male with 3 weeks of abdominal pain, back pain, and neurologic deficits including memory impairment who was found to have neurosyphilis causing a cholestatic liver injury. Workup included a positive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA), a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL), and a liver biopsy, which was compatible with a diagnosis of syphilitic hepatitis. Completion of a 14-day course of penicillin and 1 month of physical therapy resulted in near full-functional and biochemical recovery.
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