title: 6-Thioguanine treatment of psoriasis: experience in 81 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recent innovations a considerable number of patients with psoriasis cannot be successfully treated by current therapies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to summarize our 18-year experience with the antimetabolite 6-thioguanine in the management of patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 81 patients who were treated with 6-thioguanine. A variety of schedules were used to find the optimal schedule. Forty-eight percent of the patients either had been treated with methotrexate or were excluded from receiving methotrexate because of liver or kidney disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine percent of patients with plaques were effectively maintained with 6-thioguanine for a median of 33 months. Four of five patients with palmoplantar pustular psoriasis experienced substantial benefit. The most common side effect was myelosuppression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  6-Thioguanine is an effective therapy for psoriasis and should be considered for patients who have failed to respond to other systemic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Zackheim
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Glogau
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Maibach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013866:Thioguanine