Scientists have established a link between gene mutation and increased toxicity induced by a group of drugs that treat inflammation in the bowel and large intestine.Of the 69 patients with inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) that were observed, 34 suffered from Ulcerative Colitis, 24 from Crohn’s disease, and 11 from an auto-immune disorder related to hepatitis. The patients were on Thiopurine drugs, and six of them developed complications due to toxic effects of the drugs. “Six patients, that is 8.7 percent, developed Thiopurine-induced toxicity, and their white blood cell (WBC) count dropped below 3,000 cubic millimeters.
In one patient, the reaction was so serious, that the WBC count dropped drastically in over a day,” said Molecular Scientist. “We either had to reduce drug dosage or stop the drug altogether, so that the condition does not become lethal,” he said. A normal WBC count…
