mercaptopurine and Arthritis--Juvenile

In 40 children suffering from a form of chronic juvenile arthritis (CJA), the authors found encouraging results after immuno-suppressive treatment. Indeed, major corticotherapy, often necessary in these forms, could be stopped in nearly half the cases. The immediate improvement in the clinical signs of the disease was very clear and the signs of corticoid intoxication regressed, and in particular growth was normally resumed in many of the children. While the immediate infectious and hematologic consequences are generally benign, the occurrence of malignant hemopathies at a distance, seen in 3 cases, mean that use of this type of therapy should be totally reconsidered during CJA. The authors feel that because of this grave oncogenic risk, the immunosuppressive treatments should not be reserved merely for forms that involves the vital prognosis in the more or less short run.

Topics: Adolescent; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Arthritis, Juvenile; Child; Child, Preschool; Chlorambucil; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Genital Diseases, Male; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Infections; Male; Mercaptopurine; Risk; Time Factors

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Antibodies, Antinuclear; Arthritis, Juvenile; Azathioprine; Bone Marrow; Child; Complement Fixation Tests; Cyclophosphamide; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Glomerulonephritis; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunosuppressive Agents; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Mercaptopurine; Neutrophils; Prednisolone; Prednisone; Serologic Tests; Vascular Diseases

Topics: Adolescent; Arthritis, Juvenile; Child; Child, Preschool; Chlorambucil; Humans; Mercaptopurine

Topics: Adolescent; Arthritis, Juvenile; Cataract; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloroquine; Colitis, Ulcerative; Crohn Disease; Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Infant; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Male; Mercaptopurine; Nephrosis; Prednisolone; Purpura

Topics: Adolescent; Antibody Formation; Arthritis; Arthritis, Juvenile; Blood Protein Disorders; Child; Cortisone; Hepatitis; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Jaundice; Liver Function Tests; Mercaptopurine; Pathology; Plasma Cells; Splenomegaly; Toxicology

Topics: Adolescent; Arthritis; Arthritis, Juvenile; Attention; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Leukemia; Mercaptopurine; Prednisone