[Is there any interest to dose the azathioprine's metabolites during inflammatory bowel diseases?].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of our work is to search if there is a relation between azathioprine's metabolites (6-thioguanines nucleotides and 6-methyl mercaptopurines) and clinical efficacy and adverse effects of azathioprine in inflammatory bowel disease population.


METHODS
We included patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (UC) treated by azathioprine for a duration more than 1 year. Each patient had a dosage of azathioprine metabolites.


RESULTS
We included 43 Crohn's disease patients and 7 UC. Azathioprine was indicated for steroid dependancy in 23 cases, to prevent post-operative recurrence in 10 cases, to maintain clinical remission obtained by medical treatment in 17 patients. A clinical response to azathioprine (obtention of remission, absence of recurrence during the follow up) was observed in 34 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our work confirms the relation between the doses of azathioprine metabolites and the myelotoxicity due to this molecule.
Service de Pharmacologie clinique, Centre national de Pharmacovigilance, Tunis, Tunisie.
Salma
S
Melaouhia
Monia
M
Fékih
Henda
H
Ferchichi
Houda
H
Bouissorra
Nadia
N
Ben Mustapha
Jalel
J
Boubaker
Azza
A
Filali
Mohamed
M
Lakhal
Anis
A
Klouz
D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006150:Guanine Nucleotides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013873:Thionucleotides; C003964:6-thioguanylic acid; C010240:6-methylthiopurine; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D001379:Azathioprine