title: Methotrexate for treatment of atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low-dose methotrexate is becoming established as a second-line treatment for atopic eczema in the adult population, but there has been a paucity of data to support its use for this indication in the pediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was undertaken of patients aged 18 years and under started on methotrexate between January 2005 and April 2010, at a hospital-based dermatology department in New Zealand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients (17 females, mean age 10 years, range 3-18 years) were reviewed. Methotrexate was found to be effective or very effective in 75% and ineffective in 25%. The mean duration of treatment for those who responded to methotrexate was 14 months (range 2-38 months), 74% of patients were still on treatment at the time of last review. The most common adverse effect was minor nausea in four patients (14%) and non-significant elevation of liver enzymes (four patients). No serious adverse effects were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, methotrexate has a good safety/tolerability profile when used in low dose for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents and appears to be effective. Formal comparative studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Maneka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deo
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rademaker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008727:Methotrexate