The Frequency and the Course of the Adverse Effects of Azathioprine/6-Mercaptopurine Treatment in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
- Author:
Jae Hak KIM
1
;
Jae Hee CHEON
;
Won Ho KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kimwonho@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Azathioprine;
6-Mercaptopurine;
Adverse effects;
Leukopenia;
Inflammatory bowel disease
- MeSH:
6-Mercaptopurine/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Adolescent;
Adult;
Azathioprine/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Behcet Syndrome/drug therapy/etiology;
Cohort Studies;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Female;
Humans;
Immunosuppressive Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/*drug therapy/etiology;
Leukopenia/chemically induced;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Retrospective Studies;
Time Factors
- From:The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
2008;51(5):291-297
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was to evaluate the frequency and the course of the adverse effects of AZA/6-MP in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Medical records of the patients with IBD treated with AZA/6-MP at Severance hospital from June 1996 to September 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients were studied. Male to female ratio was 1.3:1. The mean age was 31.7+/-10.9 year. Adverse effects included leukopenia occurred in 75 cases (56.4%), nausea/vomiting in 32 cases (24.1%), arthralgia in 6 cases (4.5%), hepatitis in 6 cases (4.5%), skin rash in 4 cases (3.0%), herpes zoster in 3 cases (2.3%), and headache in 1 case (0.8%). Most of leucopenia (58.7%) developed within 3 months after maximal tolerated dose of AZA/6-MP and nausea/vomiting frequently occurred within 3 months after start of AZA/6-MP treatment. Thirty-eight patients (28.6%) required the discontinuation of medication due to adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Leukopenia was the most common adverse effect of AZA/6-MP treatment. Leukopenia and nausea/vomiting developed frequently in the early period of treatment of AZA/6-MP in patients with IBD. AZA/6-MP should be used cautiously to scrutinize bone marrow suppression.
