Author/Editor		Lipnik-Štangelj, Metoda
Title		Zdravila in imunski odziv
Translated title		Drugs and the immune response
Type		članek
Source		In: Gregorič A, editor. Metabolični sindrom pri otrocih, sodobni način življenja in imunski odziv pri otrocih, racionalna uporaba zdravil v pediatriji. Zbornik 17. srečanje pediatrov v Mariboru in 4. srečanje medicinskih sester; 2007 apr 13-14; Maribor. Maribor: Splošna bolnišnica Maribor,
Publication year		2007
Volume		str. 111-6
Language		slo
Abstract		The impact of the immune system for human disease is enormous. Immunological diseases are on the increase and have reached epidemic proportions. Improved understanding of the immune system has led to the development of new drugs to treat immune system-mediated diseases. This article briefly reviews drugs used to modulate the immune response (immunomodulators), which may result in suppression or stimulation of immunological reactivity or establishment and maintenance of immunological tolerance. Four major classes of immunosuppressive drugs are discussed: glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, antiproliferative and antimetabolic agents and antibodies. They are used to prevent the rejection reaction in organ transplantation and for treatment of autoimmune disease. Immunosuppression has concomitant risks of opportunistic infections and secondary tumours, therefore tolerogens have been developed to induce and maintain immunological tolerance in certain diseases.. Apart from immunosuppression, a few immunostimulatory drugs with applicability to infection, immunodeficiency, and cancer are discussed.