title: Fatal methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in a psoriatic patient.
abstract: Pulmonary toxicity, as an adverse effect of methotrexate (MTX) therapy, is uncommon in psoriatics. This report concerns a patient with psoriatic arthritis who developed fatal pneumonitis with a histopathological pattern of the organizing stage of diffuse alveolar damage and who was receiving MTX at a dose of 15 mg weekly for 1 month. The patient died despite the immediate withdrawal of MTX, the administration of corticosteroids, and adequate supportive care. Since MTX pneumonitis is a potentially fatal complication, new pulmonary symptoms, even in patients on low-dose MTX treatment, should be appropriately investigated.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, University General Hospital of Heraklion Crete, 71 110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazokopakis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katsogridakis
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutsopoulos
authors.forename: Argyro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Voloudaki
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Froudarakis
authors.forename: Hercules
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kritikos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vrentzos
mesh_terms: D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists; D008727:Methotrexate