Drug Interaction Report

MONITOR: The concomitant or sequential use of other agents known to induce hepatotoxicity may potentiate the risk of liver injury associated with thioguanine. A high risk of liver toxicity characterized by vascular endothelial damage has been reported with long-term continuous use of thioguanine, particularly in children receiving the drug as part of maintenance therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in other conditions associated with continuous use. Liver toxicity usually presents as the clinical syndrome of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (hyperbilirubinemia, tender hepatomegaly, weight gain due to fluid retention, and ascites) or with signs of portal hypertension (splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and esophageal varices). Histopathological features include hepatoportal sclerosis, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, peliosis hepatitis, and periportal fibrosis.

MANAGEMENT: The risk of hepatic injury should be considered when thioguanine is used with other potentially hepatotoxic agents (e.g., acetaminophen; alcohol; androgens and anabolic steroids; antituberculous agents; azole antifungal agents; ACE inhibitors; cyclosporine (high dosages); disulfiram; endothelin receptor antagonists; interferons; ketolide and macrolide antibiotics; kinase inhibitors; minocycline; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; proteasome inhibitors; retinoids; sulfonamides; tamoxifen; thiazolidinediones; tolvaptan; vincristine; zileuton; anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine, hydantoins, felbamate, and valproic acid; lipid-lowering medications such as fenofibrate, lomitapide, mipomersen, niacin, and statins; herbals and nutritional supplements such as black cohosh, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, kava, pennyroyal oil, and red yeast rice). Patients should be advised to seek medical attention if they experience potential signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity such as fever, rash, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, malaise, right upper quadrant pain, dark urine, pale stools, and jaundice. Baseline and regular monitoring of hepatic function is recommended. Thioguanine therapy should be discontinued if there is evidence of toxic hepatitis or biliary stasis, as reversal of signs and symptoms of liver toxicity have been reported upon withdrawal. Early indications of liver toxicity are signs associated with portal hypertension such as thrombocytopenia out of proportion with neutropenia and splenomegaly. Elevations of liver enzymes have also been reported, but do not always occur.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food may reduce the oral absorption and bioavailability of levofloxacin. According to the drug product labeling, administration of levofloxacin 500 mg with food prolonged the time to peak concentration by 1 hour and decreased the Cmax decreased by 25% following administration of the oral solution and by 14% following administration of the oral tablet.

MANAGEMENT: To ensure maximal and consistent oral absorption, levofloxacin oral solution should be taken at least one hour before or two hours after meals. For administration of the oral solution with continuous enteral nutrition, some experts recommend that the tube feeding should be interrupted for one hour before and two hours after the dose of levofloxacin. The oral tablets may be taken without regard to food.

MONITOR: The concomitant or sequential use of other agents known to induce hepatotoxicity may potentiate the risk of liver injury associated with thioguanine. A high risk of liver toxicity characterized by vascular endothelial damage has been reported with long-term continuous use of thioguanine, particularly in children receiving the drug as part of maintenance therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in other conditions associated with continuous use. Liver toxicity usually presents as the clinical syndrome of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (hyperbilirubinemia, tender hepatomegaly, weight gain due to fluid retention, and ascites) or with signs of portal hypertension (splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and esophageal varices). Histopathological features include hepatoportal sclerosis, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, peliosis hepatitis, and periportal fibrosis.

MANAGEMENT: The risk of hepatic injury should be considered when thioguanine is used with other potentially hepatotoxic agents (e.g., acetaminophen; alcohol; androgens and anabolic steroids; antituberculous agents; azole antifungal agents; ACE inhibitors; cyclosporine (high dosages); disulfiram; endothelin receptor antagonists; interferons; ketolide and macrolide antibiotics; kinase inhibitors; minocycline; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; proteasome inhibitors; retinoids; sulfonamides; tamoxifen; thiazolidinediones; tolvaptan; vincristine; zileuton; anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine, hydantoins, felbamate, and valproic acid; lipid-lowering medications such as fenofibrate, lomitapide, mipomersen, niacin, and statins; herbals and nutritional supplements such as black cohosh, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, kava, pennyroyal oil, and red yeast rice). Patients should be advised to seek medical attention if they experience potential signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity such as fever, rash, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, malaise, right upper quadrant pain, dark urine, pale stools, and jaundice. Baseline and regular monitoring of hepatic function is recommended. Thioguanine therapy should be discontinued if there is evidence of toxic hepatitis or biliary stasis, as reversal of signs and symptoms of liver toxicity have been reported upon withdrawal. Early indications of liver toxicity are signs associated with portal hypertension such as thrombocytopenia out of proportion with neutropenia and splenomegaly. Elevations of liver enzymes have also been reported, but do not always occur.