title: Single-dose methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy treatment: preliminary data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of a single-dose of MTX for ectopic pregnancy treatment in a sample of patients carefully selected according to strict inclusion criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 patients that matched the inclusion criteria were enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Beta-hCG at diagnosis averaged 1349 mIU/ml out of the 11 treated patients, 10 (90%) received a single dose of MTX and had a time of EP resolution averaging 27.3 days. The remaining patient received an additional dose of MTX, equal to the start dose, with a time resolution of 35 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence of the efficacy of MTX in EP treatment, both as therapy and as a form of clinical management: the successful medical management of EP, defined as beta-hCG levels becoming negative after administration of one or more MTX doses, was obtained in all treated cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. carla.merisio@unipr.it
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Merisio
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anfuso
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berretta
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gualdi
authors.forename: Dora Caterina
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Pultrone
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melpignano
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D008727:Methotrexate