title: [Methotrexate in the therapy of primary biliary cirrhosis].
abstract: In a pilot study 5 females with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), histological stages I-III, were treated with methotrexate (7.5-15.0 mg by mouth weekly) for 15 months. Pruritus and fatigue decreased in 3 patients and cholestyramine could be reduced or discontinued. The concentration of alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly until the 6th month of treatment (P less than 0.002), but only after the methotrexate dosage had been increased to 15 mg weekly. However, the improvement in cholestasis parameters persisted until the end of the period of observation in only 3 patients in stages I and II. In only one case, initially in stage III with increased serum bilirubin concentration of 3.5 mg/dl, was there a change in the histological stage, to stage IV, after treatment. These preliminary results indicate that methotrexate can influence the symptoms and cholestasis enzymes in the early stages of PBC. Controlled studies should therefore only be conducted on anicteric patients in an early stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Innere Medizin I, Universität Tübingen.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheurlen
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wiedmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D002784:Cholesterol; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin; D008727:Methotrexate
vernacular_title: Methotrexat in der Therapie der primären biliären Zirrhose.