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Regular blood tests are essential to monitor how active the disease
is and whether treatment is working.
Tests will include -
Full blood count
Sedimentation rate
Kidney and liver tests [creatinine, liver enzymes]
Tests for protein in urine
Antibodies to double stranded DNA - rising levels often predict
a relapse
Complement proteins [C3d]
Monitoring for side effects of drugs
Prednisolone and other steroids
- Blood glucose
- Fats in the blood
- Full blood count (toxic to lymphocytes)
Azathioprine (Imuran)
- Can damage liver - regular liver enzymes tests
(can require a biopsy)
- Toxic to bone marrow - regular full blood
counts to look at white blood cells (can require a bone marrow biopsy)
- Antibodies (can become very low)
- Enzyme test now available that predicts whether
side effects are likely with azathioprine (thiopurine methyltransferase
- TPMT)
Cyclophosphamide
- Toxic to white cells - regular full blood
counts
- Antibodies (can become very low)
- Urine (can cause bleeding from the bladder)
Cyclosporin and Tacrolimus [FK506]
- Very powerful immunosuppressives
- Can damage kidneys and liver - check kidney
and liver function
- Blood levels can be measured in the laboratory
to help adjust dose
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