title: Review article: monitoring for drug side-effects in inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: The side-effects suitable for monitoring in patients with inflammatory bowel disease being treated with the four main groups of drugs (5-aminosalicylic acid preparations, azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate, and corticosteroids) are reviewed. On the basis of the reported frequency, severity and timing of side-effects, a practical scheme of monitoring is recommended. This includes a baseline measurement of full blood count, creatinine and liver function tests in all patients. In the absence of worrying symptoms, we recommend the following: (i) no monitoring for sulfasalazine; (ii) for other 5-aminosalicylic acid preparations, the measurement of creatinine at 6 and 12 months and then annually; (iii) for azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, thiopurine methyltransferase genotype/phenotype determination has no role in treatment monitoring, but a full blood count at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and then every 3 months should be performed; (iv) for methotrexate, a full blood count and liver function tests should be performed every 3 months; (v) for steroids, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry bone scanning should be performed at the start of therapy, every year in which steroids are used if the T score is < 0, and every 3-5 years if the T score is > 0.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Lincoln County Hospital, Lincoln, UK.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Cunliffe
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000009:adverse effects; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids; D003404:Creatinine; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate