A Case of Azathioprine Induced Severe Myelosuppression and Alopecia Totalis in IgA Nephropathy
April 2017
in “
Childhood Kidney Diseases
”
TLDR Azathioprine can cause severe blood issues and hair loss, needing careful monitoring and possible discontinuation.
A 10-year-old boy with IgA nephropathy treated with azathioprine developed severe myelosuppression and alopecia totalis within 6 weeks. Despite dose reduction, his condition worsened, but normalized after discontinuing azathioprine and administering granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. This case highlighted the need for vigilance regarding azathioprine's side effects, suggesting that unusual hair loss might indicate a metabolic defect requiring drug discontinuation.
