Is azathioprine the same as mercaptopurine?

Both azathioprine and mercaptopurine are produced by a number of manufacturers under different brand names. Azathioprine can be known as Imuran, Azafalk, and Azapress; while mercaptopurine can be known as Puri-nethol. Mercaptopurine is also sometimes called 6-mercaptopurine or 6-MP.

Why is azathioprine given with infliximab?

Combination therapy with infliximab and azathioprine has demonstrated benefit over monotherapy for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s Disease. Clinical trials and models have not accounted for age-specific risks associated with these therapies, including the risk of immunosuppression-related cancer and infection.

Is infliximab the same as azathioprine?

Imuran (azathioprine) and Remicade (infliximab) are used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Imuran is also used to prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted kidney. Remicade is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis.

What is the alternative to azathioprine?

Methotrexate is an alternative to azathioprine in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with aquaporin-4 antibodies | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Which is better azathioprine or mercaptopurine?

Azathioprine is generally the immunosuppressant of choice, but if azathioprine treatment fails, its active metabolite mercaptopurine may be tolerated. Mercaptopurine is unlicensed for inflammatory bowel disease but has been used for many years in treating this condition and is in line with national guidelines.

Do you have to take azathioprine with infliximab?

In conclusion, infliximab monotherapy and combination therapy with infliximab plus azathioprine, as compared with azathioprine alone, resulted in significantly higher rates of corticosteroid-free clinical remission among patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease.

Does mercaptopurine cause liver damage?

Mercaptopurine can also lead to a distinctive acute, clinically apparent liver injury that usually presents with fatigue and jaundice and a cholestatic or mixed pattern of serum enzyme elevations 1 to 6 months after starting therapy, but sometimes later, particularly following an increase in dose.