Concomitant Acute Alopecia and Profound Bone Marrow Suppression: An Unusual Manifestation of Azathioprine Toxicity
December 2025
in “
Indian Journal of Case Reports
”
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Studysummary This case report highlights an unusual instance of azathioprine potentially triggering rapid alopecia areata and bone marrow suppression in a patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria, with improvement seen after stopping the drug.
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This report discusses a rare case of a patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria who experienced sudden-onset, rapidly progressing alopecia areata and severe bone marrow suppression due to azathioprine, a cytotoxic drug. The patient's condition improved after discontinuing azathioprine, with hair regrowth and resolution of leukopenia, indicating a possible causative link between the drug and these adverse effects. The case highlights the unpredictable nature of immunomodulatory therapy and the need for careful monitoring of both common and rare side effects during azathioprine treatment.
