Summary
Intraindividual variation in 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) kinetics has been little studied. It has now been examined in 18 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
On 2 to 4 occasions in each patient drug concentrations in plasma and red cells were followed for 4 h after administration by means of HPLC.
The mean individual coefficient of variation (C.V.) in AUC was 57.9% and it was not related to dose or concentration. The variation was the same in plasma and in red cells.
It is concluded that regular monitoring of 6-mercaptopurine concentration would identify periods when a patient deviates strongly from the mean range. Both undertreatment and concentration-dependent toxicity could then be corrected.
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Lafolie, P., Hayder, S., Björk, O. et al. Intraindividual variation in 6-mercaptopurine pharmacokinetics during oral maintenance therapy of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 40, 599–601 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00279977
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00279977