Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38176699›Full record

ArticleLupus science & medicine2024

Azathioprine metabolite levels and outcomes during pregnancies with rheumatic disease.

Stephen Balevic, Catherine A Sims, Amanda Eudy, Valerie Smith, Megan Clowse

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Lupus science & medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Family Planning and Rheumatoid Arthritis.Current rheumatology reports · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Stephen BalevicDuke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA stephen.balevic@duke.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-4016-1680
Catherine A SimsDepartment of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Amanda EudyDepartment of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3107-5545
Valerie SmithDurham Veterans Affairs Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Megan ClowseDepartment of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8579-3470
Duke University · US

Funding

Optimal Dosing for Biologic Agents in Obese Patients with Rheumatoid and Juvenile ArthritisK23AR075874 · NIAMS · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI BALEVIC, STEPHEN JOSEPH · 2020 to 2024
$830k
NIAMS NIH HHS K23 AR075874
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDespite widespread use of azathioprine (AZA) during pregnancy, no studies evaluated the impact of pregnancy on AZA metabolites 6-thioguanine nucleotide (6-TGN) and 6-methylmercaptopurine nucleotide (6-MMPN) disposition in rheumatic diseases. This study characterises changes in AZA metabolite concentrations throughout pregnancy in women with rheumatic disease and explores relationships between metabolite concentrations, maternal disease activity, and neonatal outcomes.

methodsPatients with rheumatic disease from a single centre prescribed AZA prior to pregnancy and ≥1 blood sample during pregnancy (5/2016 to 4/2022) were included. Commercial laboratories quantified AZA metabolite concentrations. The upper safety limit for 6-MMPN was >5700 pmol/8×10

resultsThirty-seven pregnancies in 35 women with 108 serum samples were included. There was no significant difference in dose-adjusted 6-TGN concentrations across pregnancy and peripartum, whereas 6-MMPN concentrations appeared higher during pregnancy. No elevated transaminases or cholestasis were observed concurrently with 6-MMPN above 5700 pmol/8×10

conclusionsIn this exploratory study, we did not observe systematic changes in 6-TGN concentrations throughout pregnancy and peripartum, whereas 6-MMPN concentrations were higher during pregnancy. Monitoring AZA metabolite concentrations in pregnancy is a potential tool to identify medication non-adherence as well as patients with high 6-MMPN in whom dosage adjustment or close laboratory monitoring may optimise safety.

Indexed as

Lupus Erythematosus, SystemicRheumatic DiseasesAzathioprineFemaleHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsInfant, NewbornMethyltransferasesPregnancyAzathioprineImmunosuppressive AgentsMethyltransferasesAntirheumatic AgentsLupus Erythematosus, SystemicPharmacokineticsTherapeutics

Identifiers

PMID38176699
PMCPMC10773429
OpenAlexW4390631605

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.