Tempting liver fibrosis? Long-term psoriatic methotrexate therapy and heterozygous alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency

Dermatologists, or pathologists, occasionally need to decide whether or not to continue methotrexate therapy in a patient with an identifiable risk factor for liver fibrosis, in this instance heterozygous alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency.

We relate our experience with an elderly male patient, diagnosed as having alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency on a liver biopsy, genotypically confirmed as PiMZ. He had been receiving methotrexate for psoriasis for 17 years with a cumulative dose of 7,200 mg. He was monitored by biochemical profiling and interval (10) liver biopsies. Non-specific changes were seen on liver histology although grade 1 liver fibrosis was seen in his last 2 biopsies.

We suggest that methotrexate therapy is relatively safe in patients with heterozygous alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency, with no other risk factor. We however advise that the risk of fibrosis should be monitored and that the patient receives appropriate counselling.