Volume 71, Issue 2 pp. 156-162
Topic of the Month

Safety of Thiopurine Use in Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disease

Erasmo Miele

Corresponding Author

Erasmo Miele

Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Paediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Erasmo Miele, MD, PhD, Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Paediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80127 Naples Italy (e-mail: [email protected]); Nikhil Thapar, BMFRCPCH PhD, Queensl and Children's Hospital, Stanley St, Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this author
Marc A. Benninga

Marc A. Benninga

Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital/Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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Ilse Broekaert

Ilse Broekaert

Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

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Jernej Dolinsek

Jernej Dolinsek

Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology Unit, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

Department of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty of University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

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Emmanuel Mas

Emmanuel Mas

IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France

Unité de Gastroentérologie, Hépatologie, Nutrition, Diabétologie et Maladies Héréditaires du Métabolisme, Hôpital des Enfants, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France

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Rok Orel

Rok Orel

Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

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Corina Pienar

Corina Pienar

Paediatrics Department, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania

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Carmen Ribes-Koninckx

Carmen Ribes-Koninckx

Pediatric Gastroenterolgy, Hepatology and Nutrition, La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain

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Rut A. Thomassen

Rut A. Thomassen

Pediatric Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

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Mike Thomson

Mike Thomson

Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield

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Christos Tzivinikos

Christos Tzivinikos

Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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Nikhil Thapar

Corresponding Author

Nikhil Thapar

Neurogastroenterology and Motility Unit, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplant, Queensland Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Erasmo Miele, MD, PhD, Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Paediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80127 Naples Italy (e-mail: [email protected]); Nikhil Thapar, BMFRCPCH PhD, Queensl and Children's Hospital, Stanley St, Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this author
First published: 09 June 2020
Citations: 3

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

ABSTRACT

Thiopurines, alone or in combination with other agents, have a pivotal role in the treatment of specific gastrointestinal and hepatological disorders. In inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune hepatitis thiopurines have proven their value as steroid sparing agents for the maintenance of remission and may be considered for preventing postoperative Crohn disease recurrence where there is moderate risk of this occurring. Their use with infliximab therapy reduces antibody formation and increases biologic drug levels. The routine clinical use of thiopurines has, however, been questioned due to a number of potential adverse effects. The aim of this article is to provide information regarding the use, and in particular, safety of these agents in clinical practice in the light of such potentially severe, albeit rare, effects.

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