14 February 2018 (Wednesday) - Infliximab

Here’s a case with which I found myself presented today:

CHALK Charlie A       P034567           01.09.68 M TAMB   Dr Crippen R,18.0018627.Q       U 14.02.18  Clinical details  infliximab infusions             HBM   WBCM    PLT    HCT   RBCM   MCVM   MCHM  MCHCM    RDW      N 010817      158   5.60    184  0.467   4.77   97.9   33.1    338   14.7   2.40 131017      155   7.20    211  0.450   4.72   95.3   32.8    344   14.5   3.90 300118 F    159   5.50    213  0.481   4.90   98.2   32.4    331   14.8   2.40 140218 F    153   5.06    181  0.446   4.71   94.7   32.5    343   14.6   1.88               L      M      E      B    NUC   NUCA    ESR     GF 010817     2.10   0.70   0.30   0.10                    5        131017     2.00   0.90   0.30   0.10                             300118 F   2.00   0.70   0.40   0.00                             140218 F   2.08   0.66   0.39   0.05

The blood film was unremarkable, but there was an unexplained mild neutropenia. And then I looked at the diagnosis. “Infliximab”… What’s that?

Wikipedia is quite informative on the drug… “Cases of leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and pancytopenia (some fatal) have been reported with infliximab”

I shall bear this in mind..