A long-term follow-up study of methotrexate in juvenile localized scleroderma (morphea)

Recent studies report that methotrexate (MTX) is beneficial in the treatment of juvenile localized scleroderma (JLS) but little is known about its long-term effectiveness.

We assessed the therapeutic role of MTX in children with JLS who were followed up for a prolonged period.

A cohort of patients with JLS, previously enrolled in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial and treated with oral MTX (15 mg/m(2)/wk) and prednisone (1 mg/kg/d, maximum 50 mg) for the first 3 months, were prospectively followed up. Lesions were evaluated clinically, with infrared thermography, and by a computerized skin score. Response to treatment was defined as: (1) no new lesions; (2) skin score rate less than 1; and (3) decrease in lesion temperature by at least 10% compared with baseline. Clinical remission (CR) on medication was defined when response was maintained, on treatment, for at least 6 months, and complete CR when response was maintained, without treatment, for at least 6 months.

Of 65 patients treated with MTX, 48 (73.8%) were responders, 10 (15.4%) relapsed by 24 months since MTX start, and 7 (10.8%) were lost to follow-up. Among the responders, 35 (72.9%) maintained CR for a mean of 25 months and 13 (27.1%) were in CR on medication. Adverse effects seen in 28 patients (48.3%) were generally mild and never required treatment discontinuation.

The use of objective measures not widely available, such as infrared thermography and computerized skin score, makes it difficult to compare data from previous studies.

Long-term MTX therapy is beneficial and well tolerated for JLS.