title: [Methotrexate - anchor drug in the treament of rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: Methotrexate is in the centre of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. There are new insights in the understanding of its mechanism: intracellular polyglutamation activates the methotrexate molecule. The magnitude of this step is associated with response to the treatment. Further on, it was found that even low doses of methotrexate are sufficient to guarantee its effect as comedication of TNF-inhibitors. Finally, from the follow-up of long term cohorts it seems that methotrexate reduces mortality in rheumatoid arthritis independently from its effect on disease activity.
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Fiehn
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008727:Methotrexate