Adverse Effect Profile With Low-Dose Methotrexate Therapy in Patients Suffering With Rheumatic Diseases

This study observed that among Iranian patients with rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate treatment was discontinued or reduced in nearly half of the cases due to side effects such as nausea, flu-like symptoms, hepatotoxicity, and hair loss, with hepatotoxicity linked to higher doses and longer treatment duration.

This study found that 29.4% of patients treated with methotrexate for non-hair-related conditions experienced increased hair loss, with more frequent reports among women.

This study found that many patients taking methotrexate for inflammatory arthritis tolerate significant side effects, but adherence to the medication still varies among individuals.

This study found that low dose methotrexate did not increase hair loss in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to healthy controls, and many patients even showed a reduction in hair fall over the short term.

This review discusses various strategies, including vitamin A and dextromethorphan supplementation, to manage methotrexate toxicity and improve adherence in patients with rheumatic diseases, but reports no new clinical results.