title: Effects of methotrexate on radiologic progression in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of methotrexate (MTX) therapy on radiologic progression in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated serial wrist radiographs for carpal length in 23 JRA patients with bilateral wrist involvement, before and during MTX treatment. These carpal length measurements were compared with established norms for carpal length in a healthy pediatric population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both clinical responders to MTX (17 of 23 patients) and nonresponders (6 of 23) had decreasing carpal length prior to initiation of the treatment. Eleven of the 17 clinical responders had improved carpal length after a mean of 2.5 years of MTX treatment. All 6 clinical nonresponders had progressive loss of carpal length.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MTX treatment resulted in radiologic improvement, as measured by carpal length, in the majority of children with JRA who had a clinical response to MTX.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Rheumatology, La Rabida Children's Hospital, University of Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wagner-Weiner
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Poznanski
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekwo
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Magilavy
mesh_terms: D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001175:Arthrography; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009068:Movement; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D008727:Methotrexate