[Hematotoxic lesions caused by non-steroidal antirheumatic agents]

Among the lesions of haematopoiesis conditioned by medicaments the lesions by non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs occupy the first place. They get their significance by the fact that they are not so infrequently irreparable and thus show an unfavourable prognosis. On principle in pathogenetic respect lesions by immunologic reactions which vastly do not depend on the dosage, are to be demarcated from the toxically conditioned side-effects which depend on dosage. Conditioned by drugs aplastic syndromes of the bone marrow are not in every case strongly depending on dosage. For this is to be assumed an individual, particular sensitivity of the haematopoietic stem cells (stem cell defect). Of the anti-rheumatic drugs used for the basic therapy chloroquine derivations, gold, D-penicillamine, immunosuppressives and levamisol may effect disturbances of the haematopoiesis, for which facts are examples are given. This concerns also the symptomatically acting antirheumatic drugs. An overestimation of rare side-effects of drugs should not block the application of certain medicaments, however, they should be given only in such a high dosage as it is necessary. In combinations of antirheumatic drugs every individual drug is considered as causative factor. Interactions are particularly be taken into consideration. Control programmes, particularly with certain laboratory parameters, give the early recognition of side-effects and render possible to avoid severe effects.