Organ transplants

Active Ingredient: Azathioprine

Indication for Azathioprine

Population group: only children (1 year - 12 years old) , adolescents (12 years - 18 years old) , adults (18 years old or older)

Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressant antimetabolite either alone or, more commonly, in combination with other agents (usually corticosteroids) and procedures which influence the immune response. Therapeutic effect may be evident only after weeks or months and can include a steroid-sparing effect, thereby reducing the toxicity associated with high dosage and prolonged usage of corticosteroids. Azathioprine in combination with corticosteroids and/or other immunosuppressive agents and procedures, is indicated to enhance the survival of organ transplants, such as renal transplants, cardiac transplants, and hepatic transplants; and to reduce the corticosteroid requirements of renal transplant recipients.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

1-5mg/kg

Route of admnistration

Oral

Defined daily dose

1 - 5 mg per kg of body weight

Dosage regimen

From 1 To 5 mg per kg of body weight once every day

Loading dose

5 mg per kg of body weight

Detailed description

Depending on the immunosuppressive regime employed, a dosage of up to 5 mg/kg bodyweight/day may be given on the first day of therapy, either orally or intravenously.

Maintenance dosage should range from 1-4 mg/kg/bodyweight/day and must be adjusted according to clinical requirements and haematological tolerance.

Evidence indicates that azathioprine therapy should be maintained indefinitely, even if only low doses are necessary, because of the risk of graft rejection.

Dosage considerations

Azathioprine should be administered at least 1 hour before or 3 hours after food or milk.

1-5mg/kg

Route of admnistration

Intravenous

Defined daily dose

1 - 5 mg per kg of body weight

Dosage regimen

From 1 To 5 mg per kg of body weight once every day

Loading dose

5 mg per kg of body weight

Detailed description

Depending on the immunosuppressive regime employed, a dosage of up to 5 mg/kg bodyweight/day may be given on the first day of therapy, either orally or intravenously.

Maintenance dosage should range from 1-4 mg/kg/bodyweight/day and must be adjusted according to clinical requirements and haematological tolerance.

Evidence indicates that azathioprine therapy should be maintained indefinitely, even if only low doses are necessary, because of the risk of graft rejection.

Dosage considerations

Azathioprine should be administered at least 1 hour before or 3 hours after food or milk.

Active ingredient

Azathioprine

Azathioprine is a pro-drug of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). 6-MP is inactive but acts as a purine antagonist and requires cellular uptake and intracellular anabolism to thioguanine nucleotides (TGNs) for immunosuppression. The TGNs and other metabolites (e.g. 6-methyl-mecaptopurine ribonucleotides) inhibit de novo purine synthesis and purine nucleotide interconversions.

Read more about Azathioprine

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