[Methotrexate treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in Denmark]

In the recommended early, aggressive and continuous treatment strategy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), methotrexate (MTX) is the anchor drug, and although generally well tolerated approximately 50% of the RA patients discontinue MTX treatment within five years. In a large Danish cohort study among newly diagnosed patients with RA only 21% had started MTX treatment within 90 days after referral to hospital and the median time-to-treatment initiation was 120 days. Furthermore, MTX compliance is considered generally high among Danish RA patients and the patients have strong beliefs about MTX necessity.