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Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology Jan 2017The objective of the study was to define the clinical, biochemical, and histologic features of liver injury from thiopurines.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to define the clinical, biochemical, and histologic features of liver injury from thiopurines.
BACKGROUND
Azathioprine (Aza) and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) can cause liver injury, but no large series exist.
METHODS
Clinical and laboratory data and 6-month outcomes of patients with thiopurine hepatotoxicity from the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network Prospective Study were analyzed.
RESULTS
Twenty-two patients were identified, 12 due to Aza and 10 due to 6-MP, with a median age of 55 years; the majority were female (68%). Inflammatory bowel disease was the indication in 55%, and the median thiopurine dose was 150 (range, 25 to 300) mg daily. The median latency to onset was 75 (range, 3 to 2584) days. Injury first arose after a dose escalation in 59% of patients, the median latency after dose increase being 44 (range, 3 to 254) days. At onset, the median alanine aminotransferase level was 210 U/L, alkaline phosphatase was 151 U/L, and bilirubin was 7.4 mg/dL (peak, 13.4 mg/dL). There were no major differences between Aza and 6-MP cases, but anicteric cases typically had nonspecific symptoms and a hepatocellular pattern of enzyme elevations, whereas icteric cases experienced cholestatic hepatitis with modest enzyme elevations in a mixed pattern. One patient with preexisting cirrhosis required liver transplantation; all others resolved clinically. One patient still had moderate alkaline phosphatase elevations 2 years after onset.
CONCLUSIONS
Nearly three-quarters of patients with thiopurine-induced liver injury present with self-limited, cholestatic hepatitis, typically within 3 months of starting or a dose increase. The prognosis is favorable except in patients with preexisting cirrhosis.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alanine Transaminase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Azathioprine; Bilirubin; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Child; Cholestasis; Databases, Factual; Female; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Male; Mercaptopurine; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Time Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 27648552
DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000000568 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023To report the case of a patient with refractory neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), who, despite showing poor response or intolerance to multiple...
OBJECTIVE
To report the case of a patient with refractory neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), who, despite showing poor response or intolerance to multiple immunosuppressants, was successfully treated with Ofatumumab.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 42-year-old female was diagnosed with NMOSD in the first episode of the disease. Despite treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone, immunoglobulin, rituximab and immunoadsorption, together with oral steroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus, she underwent various adverse events, such as abnormal liver function, repeated infections, fever, rashes, hemorrhagic shock, etc., and experienced five relapses over the ensuing four years. Finally, clinicians decided to initiate Ofatumumab to control the disease. The patient received 9 doses of Ofatumumab over the next 10 months at customized intervals. Her symptoms were stable and there was no recurrence or any adverse events.
CONCLUSION
Ofatumumab might serve as an effective and safe alternative for NMOSD patients who are resistant to other current immunotherapies.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adult; Neuromyelitis Optica; Treatment Outcome; Immunosuppressive Agents; Azathioprine
PubMed: 37449206
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1208017 -
Journal of Immunotherapy (Hagerstown,... Sep 2023Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of various malignancies, but are associated with serious adverse events like pancreatitis. Current... (Review)
Review
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of various malignancies, but are associated with serious adverse events like pancreatitis. Current guidelines are limited to the first step in treating acute ICI-related pancreatitis with steroids but lack treatment advices for steroid dependent pancreatitis. We describe a case series of 3 patients who developed ICI-related pancreatitis with chronic features such as exocrine insufficiency and pancreatic atrophy at imaging. Our first case developed after treatment with pembrolizumab. The pancreatitis responded well after discontinuation of immunotherapy but imaging showed pancreatic atrophy and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency persisted. Cases 2 and 3 developed after treatment with nivolumab. In both, pancreatitis responded well to steroids. However during steroid tapering, pancreatitis recurred and the latter developed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and pancreatic atrophy at imaging. Our cases demonstrate resemblances with autoimmune pancreatitis based on clinical and imaging findings. In line, both diseases are T-cell mediated and for autoimmune pancreatitis azathioprine is considered as maintenance therapy. Guidelines of other T-cell mediated diseases like ICI-related hepatitis suggest tacrolimus. After adding tacrolimus in case 2 and azathioprine in case 3, steroids could be completely tapered and no new episodes of pancreatitis have occurred. These findings support the idea that the treatment modalities for other T-cell mediated diseases are worthwhile options for steroid dependent ICI-related pancreatitis.
Topics: Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Azathioprine; Tacrolimus; Autoimmune Pancreatitis; Expert Testimony; Pancreatitis; Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency; Steroids
PubMed: 37216403
DOI: 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000472 -
Ceska a Slovenska Oftalmologie :... 2017IgG-4 related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently discovered systemic fibro-inflammatory disease which affects the ocular system. This pathology is not limited only to the...
IgG-4 related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently discovered systemic fibro-inflammatory disease which affects the ocular system. This pathology is not limited only to the orbit, but may also frequently affect the anatomical structures of the eye, as well as other organs. Suspicion of IgG4-RD is based on careful clinical, radiological and immuno-histological examination with a finding of characteristic histopathological changes. Increased values of serum IgG4 need not necessarily be an unequivocal diagnostic criterion for the diagnosis of IgG4-RD. Only a careful histological and immunophenotyping examination together with a clinical finding provide a basis for distinguishing IgG4-RD from other inflammatory pathologies. Corticoids are applied in the treatment of this disease, but they do not exclude the possibility of relapses of clinical manifestations. Second choice pharmaceuticals are azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, and the effect of treating relapse of the disease with rituximab is significant.Key words: IgG4 related disease, eye, diagnosis, treatment.
Topics: Azathioprine; Eye Diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Mycophenolic Acid; Orbit
PubMed: 29394077
DOI: No ID Found -
Gut and Liver Mar 2016Autoimmune hepatitis is characterized by autoantibodies, hypergammaglobulinemia, and interface hepatitis on histological examination. The features lack diagnostic... (Review)
Review
Autoimmune hepatitis is characterized by autoantibodies, hypergammaglobulinemia, and interface hepatitis on histological examination. The features lack diagnostic specificity, and other diseases that may resemble autoimmune hepatitis must be excluded. The clinical presentation may be acute, acute severe (fulminant), or asymptomatic; conventional autoantibodies may be absent; centrilobular necrosis and bile duct changes may be present; and the disease may occur after liver transplantation or with features that suggest overlapping disorders. The diagnostic criteria have been codified, and diagnostic scoring systems can support clinical judgment. Nonstandard autoantibodies, including antibodies to actin, α-actinin, soluble liver antigen, perinuclear antineutrophil antigen, asialoglycoprotein receptor, and liver cytosol type 1, are tools that can support the diagnosis, especially in patients with atypical features. Prednisone or prednisolone in combination with azathioprine is the preferred treatment, and strategies using these medications in various doses can ameliorate treatment failure, incomplete response, drug intolerance, and relapse after drug withdrawal. Budesonide, mycophenolate mofetil, and calcineurin inhibitors can be considered in selected patients as frontline or salvage therapies. Molecular (recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies), cellular (adoptive transfer and antigenic manipulation), and pharmacological (antioxidants, antifibrotics, and antiapoptotic agents) interventions constitute future directions in management. The evolving knowledge of the pathogenic pathways and the advances in technology promise new management algorithms.
Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Autoantibodies; Azathioprine; Biomarkers; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Therapy, Combination; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Prednisolone; Prednisone
PubMed: 26934884
DOI: 10.5009/gnl15352 -
Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory... 2022Several studies have reported favorable outcomes of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP); however, its prognosis and prognostic factors remain unclear. This study...
AIM
Several studies have reported favorable outcomes of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP); however, its prognosis and prognostic factors remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of fibrotic NSIP and the prognostic factors for progression, relapse, and survival.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical data of 204 patients diagnosed with fibrotic NSIP by surgical lung biopsy at Samsung Medical Center. The factors associated with survival and disease progression or relapse were determined using Cox proportional hazard analysis.
RESULTS
The median age of patients was 54 years and 67 (33%) patients were male. Also, 47 patients (23%) were current or ex-smokers. In all, 141 (69%) patients were diagnosed with idiopathic NSIP, while 63 (31%) patients were associated with connective tissue diseases. Progression or relapse was observed in 100 (49%) patients. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 94.6% and 90.4%, respectively. The factors associated with disease progression and relapse were diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) <60% [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.739; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.036-2.921; = 0.036], bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lymphocyte >15% (adjusted HR, 0.592; 95% CI, 0.352-0.994; = 0.047), and treatment with corticosteroid and azathioprine (adjusted HR, 0.556; 95% CI, 0.311-0.955; = 0.048). Disease progression or relapse was associated with mortality (adjusted HR, 7.135; 95% CI, 1.499-33.971; = 0.014).
CONCLUSION
Preserved lung function, BAL lymphocytosis, and treatment with corticosteroids and azathioprine were associated with lower risks of disease progression and relapse, which were risk factors for mortality.
Topics: Azathioprine; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias; Lung; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Recurrence; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35400267
DOI: 10.1177/17534666221089468 -
Medicine Sep 2022To assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) in the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum diseases (NMOSDs), and give a guideline on clinical medication. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
To assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) in the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum diseases (NMOSDs), and give a guideline on clinical medication.
METHODS
The databases of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wan fang were systematically searched by computer, and the search period was from the establishment of the databases until January 2022. To collect the trials of RTX in the treatment of NMOSDs, two researchers completed literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction independently. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software.
RESULTS
There were 37 studies in the meta-analysis, including 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 32 observational studies. Meta-analysis results revealed that NMOSDs patients treated with RTX significantly reduced the annualized relapse rate (ARR) (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-1.66, P < .01) and the Expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores (WMD = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.25-1.44, P < .01). RTX is more effective than azathioprine (AZA) in the treatment of NMOSDs (ARR: WMD = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.75 to -0.33; EDSS: WMD = -0.65, 95% CI: -0.83 to -0.48; P < .0001).There was no difference in ARR and EDSS scores between anti-aquapor in-4-antibody seropositive NMOSD and seronegative NMOSD patients treated with RTX (ARR: WMD = -0.01, 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.24, P = .96 > 0.05; EDSS: WMD = 0, 95% CI: -0.30 to 0.31, P = .99 > 0.05). In this study, 681 patients were recorded safety data of RTX therapy, 23% (156 patients) had adverse events, and 0.7% (5 patients) of NMOSDs discontinued due to severe adverse reactions.
CONCLUSIONS
NMOSDs patients treated with RTX can significantly reduce the relapse frequency and EDSS scores, and also improve neurological dysfunction, besides the efficacy is better than azathioprine. RTX has a high incidence of adverse reactions, which are mild and with certain self limited, it should be cautious in clinical medication.
Topics: Antibodies; Azathioprine; Humans; Neuromyelitis Optica; Recurrence; Rituximab
PubMed: 36086713
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000030347 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2019Disruption of mucosal structure and barrier function contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Efficacy of therapy in IBD is based on...
Disruption of mucosal structure and barrier function contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Efficacy of therapy in IBD is based on endoscopic mucosal healing, which occurs by a dynamic interplay of epithelial cell regeneration, migration and differentiation. Both mesalamine (5-ASA) and azathioprine (AZTP) promote this process through mechanisms not clearly understood. We examined molecular pathways implicated in epithelial barrier function that were altered by 5-ASA and AZTP. Paracellular permeability induced by inflammatory mediators was mitigated by both compounds through restoration of cellular anchoring complexes. 5-ASA and AZTP induced rearrangement and membranous localization of junctional proteins and modulated genes involved in tight junctions. Intestinal organoids from wildtype-mice treated with TNF-α and IL-10- deficient-mice displayed impaired epithelial barrier with loss of membranous E-cadherin and reduced Desmoglein-2 expression. These effects were counteracted by 5-ASA and AZTP. Unlike AZTP that exhibited antiproliferative effects, 5-ASA promoted wound healing in colon epithelial cells. Both affected cellular senescence, cell cycle distribution and restricted cells in G1 or S phase without inducing apoptosis. This study provides mechanistic evidence that molecular actions of 5-ASA and AZTP on intestinal epithelia are fundamental in the resolution of barrier dysfunction.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Azathioprine; Colitis; Epithelial Cells; Inflammation; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Intestines; Mesalamine; Mice; Wound Healing
PubMed: 30809073
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39401-0 -
Seminars in Respiratory and Critical... Jun 2024Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), causing significant morbidity and mortality. Optimal treatment for... (Review)
Review
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), causing significant morbidity and mortality. Optimal treatment for RA-ILD is not yet well defined. Reliable prognostic indicators are largely byproducts of prior ILD progression, including low or decreasing forced vital capacity and extensive or worsening fibrosis on imaging. In the absence of validated tools to predict treatment response, decisions about whether to initiate or augment treatment are instead based on clinical judgment. In general, treatment should be initiated in patients who are symptomatic, progressing, or at high risk of poor outcomes. Retrospective data suggest that mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, and rituximab are likely effective therapies for RA-ILD. Abatacept is also emerging as a potential first-line treatment option for patients with RA-ILD. Further, recent data demonstrate that immunosuppression may be beneficial even in patients with a usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern on imaging, suggesting that immunosuppression should be considered irrespective of imaging pattern. Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that antifibrotic medications, such as nintedanib and likely pirfenidone, slow forced vital capacity decline in RA-ILD. Consideration can be given to antifibrotic initiation in patients progressing despite immunosuppression, particularly in patients with a UIP pattern. Future research directions include developing tools to predict which patients will remain stable from patients who will progress, discriminating patients who will respond to treatment from nonresponders, and developing algorithms for starting immunosuppression, antifibrotics, or both as first-line therapies.
Topics: Humans; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Immunosuppressive Agents; Disease Progression; Antirheumatic Agents; Abatacept; Prognosis; Mycophenolic Acid; Rituximab; Vital Capacity; Pyridones; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Azathioprine; Indoles
PubMed: 38484788
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1782218 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Dec 2022The pharmacological treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) aims to decrease disease activity, progression, systemic compromise, and mortality. Among the... (Review)
Review
The pharmacological treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) aims to decrease disease activity, progression, systemic compromise, and mortality. Among the pharmacological alternatives, there are chemically synthesized drugs whose efficacy has been evaluated, but which have the potential to generate adverse events that may compromise adherence and response to treatment. Therapy selection and monitoring will depend on patient characteristics and the safety profile of each drug. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the most important synthetic drugs used in the treatment of SLE, including the current treatment options (mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide), review their mechanism of action, efficacy, safety, and, most importantly, provide monitoring parameters that should be considered while the patient is receiving the pharmacotherapy.
Topics: Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Cyclophosphamide; Azathioprine; Mycophenolic Acid; Immunosuppressive Agents
PubMed: 36676680
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59010056