Long-term safety of azathioprine therapy in multiple sclerosis.
We compared the frequency of malignancies in 207 multiple sclerosis patients (mean age 35.75 years, SD 10.60) who took 2.0 mg/kg azathioprine daily (mean duration 4.16 years; SD 2.38) and in 247 nontreated patients (mean age 35.44 years; SD 11.94). Five malignancies were diagnosed in the azathioprine group compared with seven in the control group. The age-adjusted occurrence rate was 3.62/1,000 person-years (95% CI, 1.17 to 8.43) in the treated and 4.24/1,000 person-years (95% CI, 1.70 to 8.73) in the nontreated group; the age-adjusted relative risk of developing a tumor was 0.85.
Amato
M P
MP
Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Italy.
Pracucci
G
G
Ponziani
G
G
Siracusa
G
G
Fratiglioni
L
L
Amaducci
L
L
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology
D001379:Azathioprine