Effects of Azathioprine and Amethopterin on Secondary Disease in the Rhesus Monkey

Résumé du livre

Forty-five rhesus monkeys received 980 R whole-body irradiation from a cobalt-60 source followed by allogenic bone marrow transplants. The animals were randomly divided into three groups: (1) bone marrow, no drug; (2) bone marrow, azathioprine; and bone marrow, amethopterin. Supportive care was the same for all groups. Although there was a statistically significant prolongation of the average survival time in the group receiving amethropterin, the net effect was one of briefly delaying the onset of secondary disease as the clinical course of these animals ultimately paralleled that of the other groups. There was no significant difference in the average survival time of the azathioprine group as compared with the control group, and by the criteria cited there were fewer takes effected in the animals receiving azathioprine. The two drugs tested were essentially ineffective in the dose levels and regimen utilized.