title: Long term azathioprine fails to prevent onset of multiple sclerosis: report of two cases.
abstract: Azathioprine is an immunosuppressive drug widely used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We report two patients who developed the first manifestations of clinically definite multiple sclerosis while on long term (3.5 and 10 years, respectively) treatment with azathioprine for Crohn's disease. Both patients developed the first MS symptoms during a quiescent phase of their inflammatory bowel disease. These cases show that long term azathioprine, while possibly maintaining inflammatory bowel disease under control, could not prevent the onset of MS. Multiple Sclerosis (2000) 6 362 - 363
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Neurology, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Medical School Floor B, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Constantinescu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whiteley
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Blumhardt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001379:Azathioprine