mercaptopurine and Genital-Diseases--Male

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