title: Low-dose MTX for the treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease in children.
abstract: We report the results of a retrospective analysis in 27 pediatric patients who received low-dose MTX as the second-line treatment for steroid-refractory or -dependent acute and chronic GVHD. Between July 2000 and May 2006, 10 patients with aGVHD and 17 with cGVHD were treated with MTX at a dose of 3-10 mg/m(2) weekly. Seven of ten patients (70%) with aGVHD responded well to MTX, thus resulting in the achievement of either a complete response (CR) or a partial response (PR). The dose of prednisone could be reduced to equal to or lower than 1 mg/kg in the responding patients at the end of MTX therapy. The median number of MTX administrations was five (range, 1-7). Ten (58.8%) of seventeen patients with cGVHD achieved CR or PR. The dose of prednisone could be reduced to lower than 0.4 mg/kg in 16 of 17 patients and seven patients could discontinue prednisone. The median duration of MTX administration was 18 months (range, 1-68). The toxicities of grade III to IV occurred in only six patients presenting cytopenias or elevated levels of serum transaminases. Low-dose MTX was tolerable and effective for the steroid-refractory or -dependent GVHD in reducing the dose of steroid without increasing the risk of opportunistic infection.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatrics, National Kyusyu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagatoshi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Isomura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakiyama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate