Arch Dis Child 1997;76:365-366 ( April )

Profile of non-compliance in lymphoblastic leukaemia

D Lancaster,^a L Lennard,^b J S Lilleyman^a

^a Department of Paediatric Oncology, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, ^b University of Sheffield Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield

Correspondence to: Professor J S Lilleyman, Department of Paediatric Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE.

Accepted 31 December 1996

A nationwide study of intracellular drug metabolite concentrations in children prescribed 6-mercaptopurine for the treatment of lymphoblastic leukaemia was carried out to assess interpatient variability at a standardised dose. Nine children (2% of the total) had completely undetectable metabolites, indicative of non-compliance. Five were adolescents, but otherwise they had no obvious distinguishing characteristics. Not taking any 6-mercaptopurine at all is uncommon, but the problem cannot be predicted. The total number of children who do not comply cannot be determined from this study, but the nine children described represent only a fraction of these.

Keywords: lymphoblastic leukaemia; compliance; 6-mercaptopurine

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© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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