Mild Viral Respiratory Infection Risk Increases After Starting Thiopurines for IBD

Summary: People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) often take medicines called thiopurines to help their gut heal. A new study looked at 244 patients to see if this medicine makes them get sick more often. The good news is that the medicine works very well to lower gut inflammation and helps patients stop taking steroids. It does not increase the chance of getting severe infections or stomach bugs. However, it does increase the chance of catching mild colds and upper respiratory viruses by about 40%. For most patients, getting a few more sniffles is a very safe trade-off for keeping their IBD under control and staying healthy.

For more details, see Gastroenterology Advisor at gastroenterologyadvisor.com/news/mild-viral-respiratory-infection-risk-increases-after-starting-thiopurines-for-ibd/ (opens in new tab)