title: Long-term follow-up of 453 rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate: an open, retrospective, observational study.
abstract: A total of 453 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were followed up for 35.2 +/- 27.9 months (range 3-106). The clinical parameters decreased significantly after 6 months. Twenty-eight patients were in remission (6.4%). Rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity was less common in the group of patients in remission, with a higher frequency of visits and methotrexate (MTX) onset after 65 yr. There was a significant degradation of radiographic lesions (n = 60). A total of 101 patients (23.1%) stopped MTX, for toxicity (n = 61) and failure (n = 20). The onset of MTX after 65 yr, a low number of visits and the occurrence of side-effects were predictive of MTX withdrawal. A total of 259 patients (59.3%) had side-effects. A Ritchie's index < or = 10, a lower polymorphonuclear cell count and the absence of RF were predictive of side-effects. The probability of being on MTX at 5 yr was 73%. This study confirms the high efficacy of MTX in RA.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Immuno-Rhumatologie, CHU Lapeyronie, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bologna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viu
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Picot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jorgensen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sany
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001175:Arthrography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D018366:Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor; D008727:Methotrexate