Side Effects of Methotrexate Therapy in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

June 2021 in “ Immunopathologia Persa ”

Maryam Masoumi, Javad Balasi, Seyed Mahdi Aghamiri, Soroush Moradi, Mahbube Baghban, Mostafa Vahedian, Alireza Gandomi‐Mohammadabadi

methotrexate hair loss hepatotoxicity leflunomide

TLDR Methotrexate is effective for rheumatoid arthritis but often causes side effects like nausea and liver issues.

In a study of 300 Iranian patients with rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate therapy was effective but had side effects in 49.66% of cases, leading to discontinuation or dose reduction. The most common side effects included nausea (23%), flu-like symptoms (8%), hepatotoxicity (12%), and hair loss (6%). Hepatotoxicity was linked to longer treatment duration, higher initial doses, and the presence of specific antibodies. Concurrent use of leflunomide increased the risk of hepatotoxicity. The study concluded that methotrexate's side effects were influenced by dosage, antibody levels, and concurrent drug use, with limitations including self-reported data and lack of liver biopsies.

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