title: [Not Available].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We present here results of methotrexate, in term of efficacy and tolerance, administrated in 21 Tunisian patients with severe psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a retrospective study conducted between january 2002 and december 2009 in the department of dermatology of Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis. We have included 21 patients with severe psoriasis treated by methotrexate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were 53year-middle aged with a sex-ratio=6. Psoriasis evolved for a mean of 10years (1month-60years). Patients had: plaque psoriasis (n=18, 85.8%) with 63% body surface involvement, erythrodermic psoriasis (n=2, 9.5%) and psoriatic arthritis (n=1, 4.7%). Methotrexate was orally administrated at an initial dose of 5-7.5mg/week. The maximum dose was of 7.5mg-12.5mg/week. Complete remission was achieved in 62% of cases and partial remission in 28.5% of cases. Haematological and hepatic toxicities were observed in 2 patients (9.5%). Mean remission period was of 14months (3months-3years). Seven patients had severe relapses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study concluded to the efficacy of methotrexate in severe psoriasis with a high rate and long term remission, despite lower doses than those classically used in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie. Electronic address: aida.khaled@rns.tn.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaled
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Myriam Ben
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hamida
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeglaoui
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kharfi
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ezzine
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Becima
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fazaa
keywords: methotrexate; méthotrexate; psoriasis; therapy; traitement