Publication: Hydroxyurea and colonic ulcers: A case report
Issued Date
2014-07-31
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ISSN
1471230X
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2-s2.0-84905821844
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
BMC Gastroenterology. Vol.14, No.1 (2014)
Suggested Citation
Kochawan Boonyawat, Sansanee Wongwaisayawan, Prawat Nitiyanant, Vichai Atichartakarn Hydroxyurea and colonic ulcers: A case report. BMC Gastroenterology. Vol.14, No.1 (2014). doi:10.1186/1471-230X-14-134 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/34223
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Title
Hydroxyurea and colonic ulcers: A case report
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Abstract
© 2014 Boonyawat et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Background: Hydroxyurea at a relatively low dose is frequently prescribed to induce hemoglobin F production in patients with sickle cell and β-thalassemia diseases because of its good efficacy and safety profiles. However, a potentially fatal gastrointestinal ulceration was recently found and herein reported.Case presentation: A thirty-seven-year-old man with transfusion dependent hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia disease was treated with hydroxyurea to induce hemoglobin F production since 2007 without incident. From 2008 to April 2010, episodes of hematochezia, mucous diarrhea and epigastric pain intermittently manifested. Four colonoscopies done during the period repeatedly showed ulcerative lesions from the terminal ileum to the ascending colon with a non-specific histo-pathologic finding. Subsequently, ulcerative lesions also developed at the pharynx, histo-pathologic findings of which were not different from those in the colon. These ulcerative lesions resolved within a month after discontinuing hydroxyurea in April 2010 and have not recurred since.Conclusion: The findings suggested role of hydroxyurea in the pathogenesis of these ulcers, and that it must be immediately discontinued to prevent further damage to the digestive mucosa.