title: Reversal of neutropenia with methotrexate treatment in patients with Felty's syndrome. Correlation of response with neutrophil-reactive IgG.
abstract: We evaluated the clinical and hematologic response to methotrexate (MTX) in 4 women with Felty's syndrome (FS) who had had neutropenia for 1-3 years. Since immune complexes or antineutrophil antibodies are implicated in the pathogenesis of the neutropenia of FS, we also measured both direct and indirect levels of neutrophil-reactive IgG. All 4 patients showed a prompt and dramatic increase in neutrophil counts within 1-2 months of starting MTX therapy. In 3 patients, the symptoms of arthritis also improved; in the fourth patient, arthritis worsened. Recurring infections ceased in 3 patients. Neutrophil-reactive IgG levels, which were elevated in all patients prior to treatment, decreased toward normal while the patients were receiving MTX therapy. We conclude that MTX is effective in treating the neutropenia of FS, in part by lowering neutrophil-reactive IgG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Dakota, Fargo.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fiechtner
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Starkebaum
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005258:Felty Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate