Metabolism of azathioprine to 6‐thioguanine nucleotides in patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

Article date: February 1987

By: L Lennard, CI Harrington, M Wood, JL Maddocks, in Volume 23, Issue 2, pages 229-233

Azathioprine metabolism, to red cell 6‐thioguanine nucleotides (6TGN), was studied in four patients with pemphigus vulgaris. Throughout treatment blood samples were taken for red cell 6TGN assay and differential white cell counts. Metabolite steady‐state occurred in three patients in 2, 2 and 4 months respectively. In the fourth patient red cell 6TGN concentrations increased slowly over 3 years. There was a significant negative correlation between 6TGN concentrations and the white blood cell count (rs = −0.92, P less than 0.0005) in this patient.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1987.tb03034.x

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