title: Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema in low-dose oral methotrexate therapy.
abstract: In the past two decades, low-dose methotrexate (MTX) has been widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As adverse effects, various types of pulmonary toxicity have been reported with this therapy. We report a case of MTX-induced noncardiogenic pulmonary edema in a 35-year-old woman. MTX used in high dose for anti-cancer therapy is known to cause non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. However, there are no previous reports of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by low-dose MTX therapy. This report suggests that patients receiving oral weekly, low-dose MTX may be at risk for the development of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Social Insurance Central General Hospital, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iikuni
authors.forename: Sumiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwami
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tokuda
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008727:Methotrexate