Long-term safety of azathioprine therapy in multiple sclerosis.

Amato, M P; Pracucci, G; Ponziani, G; Siracusa, G; Fratiglioni, L; Amaducci, L · Neurology · 1993

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

We compared the frequency of malignancies in 207 multiple sclerosis patients (mean age 35.75 years, SD 10.60) who took 2.0 mg/kg azathioprine daily (mean duration 4.16 years; SD 2.38) and in 247 nontreated patients (mean age 35.44 years; SD 11.94). Five malignancies were diagnosed in the azathioprine group compared with seven in the control group. The age-adjusted occurrence rate was 3.62/1,000 person-years (95% CI, 1.17 to 8.43) in the treated and 4.24/1,000 person-years (95% CI, 1.70 to 8.73) in the nontreated group; the age-adjusted relative risk of developing a tumor was 0.85.

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