Common questions about Kendo (FAQ)
Q: What is Kendo used for?
Kendo (a fictional drug name representing Tofacitinib) is a medicine used to treat several conditions. It is a type of medicine known as a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor.
It is approved to treat adults with:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Used to treat moderately to severely active RA when one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors haven't worked well.
- Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): Used to treat active PsA.
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Used to treat moderately to severely active UC.
- Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS): Used to treat active AS.
- Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (pJIA): Used to treat active pJIA in patients two years of age and older.
Kendo works by blocking the activity of certain enzymes, known as JAK enzymes, that are involved in inflammation.
Q: What are the possible serious side effects of Kendo?
Like all medicines, Kendo can cause serious side effects. It's important to discuss these with your healthcare provider.
Serious side effects include:
- Serious infections: Kendo can lower your body's ability to fight infection. Serious infections, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses, have occurred. These may need to be treated in a hospital and can lead to death.
- Blood clots: Blood clots in the lungs, deep veins, and arteries (venous and arterial thromboembolism) have occurred. The risk may be higher with higher doses or in patients with certain risk factors.
- Cancer: Lymphoma and other cancers, including non-melanoma skin cancer, have been reported in patients taking Kendo.
- Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): This includes heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, especially in patients with existing risk factors.
- Tears in the stomach or intestines (gastrointestinal perforation): This is a serious condition.
- Changes in laboratory test results: This includes changes in blood counts (low white blood cells or red blood cells) and liver enzyme levels. Your doctor will monitor these with blood tests.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any signs of serious infection or blood clots.
Q: Can Kendo affect fertility?
Kendo's effects on human fertility are not fully established in large clinical studies. Based on animal studies, there is a potential for Kendo to affect fertility, particularly in females.
- Females: In animal studies, reversible changes in female fertility were observed. This suggests a potential risk, but it is not confirmed in humans.
- Males: Studies in animals did not show a consistent negative effect on male reproductive organs or fertility.
If you are planning to become pregnant, or if you have concerns about fertility while taking Kendo, it is important to discuss these potential risks with your healthcare provider.
Q: Is it safe to take Kendo with certain vaccines?
It is generally recommended to avoid receiving live vaccines while being treated with Kendo. Live vaccines contain a weakened form of the virus or bacteria, and taking them while on Kendo may increase the risk of developing the infection they are meant to prevent.
Examples of live vaccines include:
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
- Nasal Flu Spray (certain types)
- Yellow Fever
Non-live (inactivated) vaccines, such as the injectable seasonal flu shot or pneumonia vaccines, are generally considered safer while taking Kendo, but the immune response may be reduced (meaning the vaccine may not be as effective).
Always consult your healthcare provider before getting any vaccinations while on Kendo to ensure it is safe and appropriate for your treatment plan.