Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sulfasalazine is an important therapeutic agent in the management of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CIBD). Unfortunately, adverse reactions to this drug have been reported in 5-55% of treated patients. These include dose-related side effects like nausea, malaise, and headache or hypersensitivity reactions such as rash, fever, hives, arthralgia, hepatitis, etc. Studies in adults with successful reintroduction of sulfasalazine after a desensitization program have been reported; however, with regard to children, no such data are available. Fourteen children and adolescents (5-16 yr old) diagnosed to have CIBD manifested hypersensitivity to sulfasalazine within 2 months of onset of treatment. All had pancolitis--secondary to Crohn's disease (CD) in four and to ulcerative colitis (UC) in 10. All of them were on steroids. Sulfasalazine was discontinued in all after symptoms of hypersensitivity developed. Three patients with severe reaction were diagnosed prior to desensitization experience. Desensitization, beginning with 5-50 mg of sulfasalazine/day, was attempted in the other 11 children. The dose was gradually increased by 5-50 mg increments every 3 days. Desensitization was successful in only five children, who were ultimately able to tolerate 1.5-3.0 g of sulfasalazine daily again. In the rest (six of 11 patients), oral 5-ASA (Asacol) was administered, and three could not tolerate it. One of these three with intolerance to Asacol required colectomy. One did not tolerate Asacol or Dipentum. Our findings suggest that sulfasalazine desensitization should be attempted in all patients developing hypersensitivity reactions before trying alternative therapy.
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PMID:Sulfasalazine desensitization in children and adolescents with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. 809 41

Although the incidence of side effects associated with sulfasalazine is in the range of 20%, most of the common side effects, including gastrointestinal reactions and headache, can be managed by dosage adjustment. In patients who experience allergic reactions of rash, fever, and arthralgia, therapy can usually be resumed after a program of desensitization. The risks associated with chronic low-grade hemolysis can be avoided by careful monitoring and, when necessary, folic acid supplementation. Certain idiosyncratic reactions to sulfasalazine do, however, represent absolute contraindications to further use of the drug. Sulfasalazine may cause reversible male infertility, but it is entirely safe for use during pregnancy and lactation. Overall, sulfasalazine has a long and impressive safety record, provided the drug is used with an awareness and appreciation of its potential pitfalls.
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PMID:The safety of sulfasalazine: the gastroenterologists' experience. 290 23

A patient with ulcerative colitis developed eosinophilic pneumonia, sinus tachycardia, skin rashes, headache and insomnia following treatment with Salazopyrin. The pneumonia as well as the other side effects resolved spontaneously following discontinuation of the drug and reappeared when Salazopyrin was readministered.
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PMID:Salazopyrin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia. 610 54

Sulfasalazine is metabolized by intestinal bacteria, resulting in the release of sulfapyridine and 5-aminosalicylate. The drug is useful in the treatment of active ulcerative colitis as well as in preventing relapses of the disease in remission. Although effective in active Crohn's disease as well, sulfasalazine appears to be of greater benefit to patients with colitis and ileocolitis than those with ileitis alone. 5-Aminosalicylate itself is efficacious when given in enema and suppository form; oral agents capable of delivering 5-aminosalicylate to distal disease sites are now under study. The drug's mechanism of action may relate to its effects on prostaglandin synthesis or interference with arachidonic acid metabolism by the lipoxygenase pathway. Common adverse reactions of sulfasalazine, including nausea, headache, and anorexia, as well as hemolysis, are associated with high serum sulfapyridine levels and often can be avoided by lowering the dose of sulfasalazine. Mild allergic reactions, such as rash and fever, may be overcome by gradual desensitization.
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PMID:Sulfasalazine. Pharmacology, clinical use, toxicity, and related new drug development. 614 10

Despite limited understanding of therapeutic aetiopathogenesis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, there is a strong evidence base for the efficacy of pharmacological and biological therapies. It is equally important to recognise toxicity of the medical armamentarium for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Sulfasalazine consists of sulfapyridine linked to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) via an azo bond. Common adverse effects related to sulfapyridine 'intolerance' include headache, nausea, anorexia, and malaise. Other allergic or toxic adverse effects include fever, rash, haemolytic anaemia, hepatitis, pancreatitis, paradoxical worsening of colitis, and reversible sperm abnormalities. The newer 5-ASA agents were developed to deliver the active ingredient of sulfasalazine while minimising adverse effects. Adverse effects are infrequent but may include nausea, dyspepsia and headache. Olsalazine may cause a secretory diarrhoea. Uncommon hypersensitivity reactions, including worsening of colitis, pancreatitis, pericarditis and nephritis, have also been reported. Corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for treatment of moderate to severe IBD. Despite short term efficacy, corticosteroids have numerous adverse effects that preclude their long term use. Adverse effects include acne, fluid retention, fat redistribution, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, psycho-neurological disturbances, cataracts, adrenal suppression, growth failure in children, and osteonecrosis. Newer corticosteroid preparations offer potential for targeted therapy and less corticosteroid-related adverse effects. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are associated with pancreatitis in 3 to 15% of patients that resolves upon drug cessation. Bone marrow suppression is dose related and may be delayed. The adverse effects of methotrexate include nausea, leucopenia and, rarely, hypersensitivity pneumonia or hepatic fibrosis. Common adverse effects of cyclosporin include nephrotoxicity, hypertension, headache, gingival hyperplasia, hyperkalaemia, paresthesias, and tremors. These adverse effects usually abate with dose reduction or cessation of therapy. Seizures and opportunistic infections have also been reported. Antibacterials are commonly employed as primary therapy for Crohn's disease. Common adverse effects of metronidazole include nausea and a metallic taste. Peripheral neuropathy can occur with prolonged administration. Ciprofloxacin and other antibacterials may be beneficial in those intolerant to metronidazole. Newer immunosuppressive agents previously reserved for transplant recipients are under investigation for IBD. Tacrolimus has an adverse effect profile similar to cyclosporin, and may cause renal insufficiency. Mycophenolate mofetil, a purine synthesis inhibitor, has primarily gastrointestinal adverse effects. Biological agents targeting specific sites in the immunoinflammatory cascade are now available to treat IBD. Infliximab, a chimeric antibody targeting tumour necrosis factor-or has been well tolerated in clinical trials and early postmarketing experience. Additional trials are needed to assess long term adverse effects.
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PMID:Comparative tolerability of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. 1108 48

Sulfasalazine (salazosulfapyridine) [Azulfidine, Salazopyrin] is a well established disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) used in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical trials with sulfasalazine have used an array of measures of disease activity, such as the number of tender and swollen joints, Ritchie articular index (RAI) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). In randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, sulfasalazine was associated with statistically significant benefits for various measures of disease activity, according to results of individual trials and/or meta-analysis. Sulfasalazine was associated with broadly similar efficacy to that of various other DMARDs in several randomised, double-blind, comparative trials. Promising results have also been demonstrated with sulfasalazine in combination with other DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and in those with more established disease. Sulfasalazine was generally well tolerated in clinical trials, the most frequently reported adverse effects being adverse gastrointestinal effects, headache, dizziness and rash; myelosuppression can also occur. Sulfasalazine has a relatively short lag time until its onset of action and is often considered to be among the more efficacious traditional DMARDs. Based on considerations of safety, convenience and cost, many rheumatologists (particularly outside of the US) select sulfasalazine as initial therapy, although preferred first-line treatment options vary between countries.
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PMID:Sulfasalazine: a review of its use in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. 1611 81

Sulfasalazine is a well established disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug commonly used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders and inflammatory bowel disease. Sulfasalazine was generally well tolerated in clinical trials, the most frequently reported adverse effects being adverse gastrointestinal effects, headache, dizziness and rash; myelosuppression can also occur. We are now reporting the first case of autoimmune thrombocytosis following sulfasalazine treatment.
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PMID:Sulfasalazine-induced immune thrombocytopenia. 1755 Oct 63