Immunosuppressants Flashcards

1
Q

What are some diseases that would need to be treated with immunosuppressants?

A

Immune Mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)
Immune mediated thrombocytopenia (IMTP)
Evans Syndrome (IMHA + IMTP)
Immune Mediated Polyarthritis (IMPA)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Chronic Hepatitis (CH)
Glomerulonephritis (GN)

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2
Q

What are some immunosuppressive Therapies?

A

Glucocorticoids, azathioprine, cyclosporine, chlorambucil, leflunomide, mycophenolate mofetil

Human IVIG
Vincristine
Blood, antiplatelet, anticoagulant

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3
Q

How do you select the right immunosuppressive therapy?

A

Expected course and prognosis
Concurrent Disease
Safety and Efficacy
Ease administration and monitoring client compliance
Cost

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4
Q

Which immunosuppressant is the first line of therapy, effective, rapid, cheap, decreased cytokines, antigen processing, Fc receptor, T-cell function?

A

Glucocorticoids

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5
Q
A
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6
Q

Which drugs are commonly used glucocorticoids?

A

Prednisolone (no more
mg/day)
Dexamethasone

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7
Q

What are some side effects of glucocorticoids?

A

PU/PD
Panting
Polyphagia
Muscle atrophy and weakness
Hyperadrenocorticism
Vacuolar hepatopathy
Infection, sepsis
GI ulceration
Hypercoagulability
Diabetes and CHF
Calcinosis Cutis

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8
Q

What changes in bloodwork are normal when steroids are being administered?

A

ALP much higher than ALT
ALP and GGT very high
Total bilirubin NEVER high
Indirect liver function normal

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9
Q

When are steroids contradicted?

A

Diabetes mellitus
Infection
Hyperadrenocorticism
NSAID therapy (Wash out 24-48hr)

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9
Q

When can glucocorticoids be discontinued?

A

Clinical remission
Reduce by 25% every 2-4 weeks
Discontinue or lowest effective dose
Avoid decreaseing other meds at same time
Relapse - immunosuppressive

Keep at starting dose until 1-2 weeks beyond resolution of abnormal parameter

-Can discontinue at low dose 0.25mg/kg/day

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10
Q

When should you consider other therapies when using a steroid?

A

No or poor response
Relapse
Excessive side effect
Long duration therapy anticipated
Corticosteroids contraindicated

Drug availability, patient size, cost, adverse effect, efficacy

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11
Q

What is a drug that is a good second line therapy that inhibits purine synthesis and lymphocyte proliferation and shoud not be used in cats due to myelosuppresion?

A

Azathioprine

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12
Q

What are some side effects to azathioprine?

A

Cytopenia’s, hepatotoxicity, chronic subclinical anemia, GI signs

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13
Q

Why may it be hard to monitor hepatotoxicity in animals on azathioprine?

A

They are probably concurrently on prednisone which will affect those values

-Increased ALT and bilirubin
Need to taper off
SAM E may prevent or reverse hepatotoxicity

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14
Q

What is a second line immunosuppressant that can be used for IMHA, ITP, IBD, IMPA, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, pemhpagus. It is a calcineurin inhibitor (decrease IL-2 synthesis). Impairs function of T-cell and blunt immune response. It is specific for lymphocytes.

A

Cyclosporine

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15
Q

What is the onset of cyclosporine?

A

Days to months

16
Q

What are some down sides to atopica (cyclosporine)?

A

Microemulsion improve bioavailability
Expensive
Generics not as good
Metabolize cytochrome P450
GI side effect
Gingival hyperplasia, hypertrichosis, shedding, papillomatosis, hepatotoxicity, nephrotocity
NOT Myelosuppressive
Opportunistic fungal infections

17
Q

What is another second line treatment more commonly used in cats and for chronic protein losing enteropathies in dogs?

A

Chlorambucil

18
Q

What is the MOA of Chlorambcuil and what’s the onset of action?

A

Alkylating agent antineoplastic
Immunosuppressive
Low onset of action (2-4 weeks)

19
Q

What are the downsides to chlorambucil?

A

Expensive
GI
Myelosuppressive
Alopecia, poor hair growth (poodle)
Neuro in cat

20
Q

What is another second line treatment or stand alone?I It inhibits de novo pyrimidine synthesis, reduced lymphocyte proliferation

A

Leflunomide

21
Q

What are the negatives of leflunomide?

A

Well tolerated
GI in appetence, vomiting
Myelosuppression
Cutaneous drug reaction
Hepatotoxicity

22
Q

What is a drug that could stand alone in stable disease or in combo with prednisone? It is reversible inhibitor of inosine monphospate dehydrogenase that inhibits purine sythesis and lymhpocyte proliferation

A

Mycophenolate mofetil

23
Q

What are some negatives to mycophenolate mofetil?

A

GI - diarre, vomit poor appetitie, myelosuppression and lymphoma (human)
2-3 week to start working

24
Q

What are some pros of mycophenolate?

A

Low toxicity
Tablet size
Compounding
Can stand alone

25
Q

How do you monitor response to these drugs?

A

Improvement in signs and clinicopathologic abnormalities

Initiate prednisone taper 25% 2-4 week

Acceptable Maintenace dose or discontinue

2nd line drug tapered in similar manner (after)

26
Q

What is human IVIG?

A

Adjutant therapy
IV immunoglobulins
IgG from human plasma

27
Q

What is the MOA of IVIG?

A

?
Block Fc receptor, eliminate pathogenic antibodies, inhibit complement, modulates cytokine synthesis

28
Q

What can IVIG be used to help treat?

A

IMHA and ITP

29
Q

What is vincristine?

A

Vinca Alkaloid
Disrupt intracellular muctoubules
Platelet carriers
reduce platelet destrucito, increase platelet 3-5 days
Shorten hospitalization

30
Q

What are side effects of vincristine?

A

Minimal myelotoxic
perivascular extravasation
Neurotoxicity
GI

31
Q

What are some other supportive therapies?

A

Transfusions - RBC, Fresh whole blood, plasma, platelet

32
Q

What types of drugs are used for thromboprophylaxis?

A

Antiplatelet
Anticoagulant

33
Q

What are some antiplatelet drugs?

A

Asprin and clopidogrel

34
Q

What are some anticoagulants?

35
Q

What may cause poor response to therapy?

A

Misdiagnosis
Underlying disease
Patience
Incorrect duration
Side effects vs disease