Document Detail


Mercaptopurine-induced fever: hypersensitivity reaction in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20030482     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The antimetabolite mercaptopurine is commonly used as part of treatment regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and as treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases. Adverse effects associated with mercaptopurine include myelosuppression, hepatotoxicity, and hyperpigmentation. We describe a 36-year-old man with Philadelphia chromosome-negative pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia who experienced a serious mercaptopurine-induced hypersensitivity reaction requiring prolonged hospitalization and extensive laboratory testing and imaging. He was treated with a multiagent chemotherapy regimen. Mercaptopurine 60 mg/m(2)/day orally was started as part of his third course of chemotherapy. On day 9 of mercaptopurine therapy, the patient developed persistent fevers, skaking chills, and rigors that persisted in the absence of documented infection, consistent with drug fever. All symptoms and signs resolved after discontinuation of mercaptopurine. Use of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale indicated a probable relationship between the patient's development of fever and mercaptopurine therapy. Mercaptopurine-induced fever has been reported in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, but this case report is the first, to our knowledge, in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Health care professionals should be aware of the possible development of fever as a hypersensitivity reaction in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with mercaptopurine.
Authors:
Lei Jia Chen; Ginah Nightingale; Maria R Baer
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Pharmacotherapy     Volume:  30     ISSN:  1875-9114     ISO Abbreviation:  Pharmacotherapy     Publication Date:  2010 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-12-24     Completed Date:  2010-03-30     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8111305     Medline TA:  Pharmacotherapy     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  113     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
6-Mercaptopurine / adverse effects*,  immunology*,  therapeutic use
Adult
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / adverse effects*,  immunology*,  therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
Drug Hypersensitivity / etiology*
Fever / chemically induced*
Humans
Male
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / complications,  drug therapy*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; 50-44-2/6-Mercaptopurine

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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