Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Azathioprine for atopic dermatitis.

S J Meggitt1, N J Reynolds

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. simonmeggitt@hotmail.com

Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
|August 8, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Azathioprine may be effective for severe atopic dermatitis (AD) when topical treatments fail. Measuring thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity could optimize azathioprine use and reduce toxicity risks.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Baseline characteristics of atopic eczema patients enrolled in seven European registries united in the TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) registry taskforce.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2025
Same author

Anakinra for palmoplantar pustulosis: results from a randomized, double-blind, multicentre, two-staged, adaptive placebo-controlled trial (APRICOT).

The British journal of dermatology·2021
Same author

The use of psoriasis biomarkers, including trajectory of clinical response, to predict clearance and remission duration to UVB phototherapy.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2021
Same author

Risks of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma in psoriasis patients after treatment with biologic vs non-biologic systemic therapies.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2021
Same author

Defining trajectories of response in patients with psoriasis treated with biologic therapies.

The British journal of dermatology·2021
Same author

Characteristics and skin cancer risk of psoriasis patients with a history of skin cancer in BADBIR.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2021

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Limited second-line therapy options exist for adults with atopic dermatitis (AD) refractory to topical treatments.
  • Concerns regarding the long-term safety of alternative treatments like cyclosporin persist.
  • Azathioprine is used by many UK dermatologists for severe AD despite potential toxicity, with limited controlled trial data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing evidence on azathioprine's efficacy and safety in treating severe atopic dermatitis.
  • To highlight the relationship between thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity, azathioprine efficacy, and toxicity.
  • To underscore the need for further research, including randomized controlled trials and the role of TPMT measurements.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of eight open studies, including one prospective trial, identifying 128 cases of azathioprine use for AD.
  • Analysis of available data on treatment efficacy and adverse events.
  • Examination of studies that included thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity measurements.

Main Results:

  • Seven of the eight studies reported improvement in the majority of patients treated with azathioprine.
  • Objective measures of disease activity were utilized in only one study.
  • TPMT activity measurements were only included in the two most recent studies, indicating a gap in current data.

Conclusions:

  • Azathioprine shows potential as a second-line treatment for severe atopic dermatitis, but robust controlled trial data is lacking.
  • Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity is crucial for optimizing azathioprine efficacy and minimizing toxicity.
  • Further investigation, including prospective randomized controlled trials and routine TPMT measurement, is required to establish azathioprine's role in AD management.

Related Experiment Videos