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Methotrexate in primary Sjögren's syndrome
F N Skopouli1, P Jagiello, N Tsifetaki
1Department of Medicine, Medical School of Ioannina, Greece.
Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
|September 1, 1996
Summary
Methotrexate (MTX) showed potential in improving subjective symptoms for primary Sjögren
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder.
- Current treatments for SS have limitations in efficacy and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) for treating primary SS.
- To assess MTX's impact on both subjective and objective parameters of SS.
Main Methods:
- An open-label, one-year pilot study involving 17 patients with primary SS.
- Patients received weekly methotrexate (0.2 mg/kg body weight).
- Outcomes were assessed using clinical and laboratory parameters.
Main Results:
- Weekly MTX improved subjective symptoms like dry mouth and eyes, and reduced parotid gland enlargement, dry cough, and purpura.
- No significant improvement was observed in objective measures of dry eyes and mouth.
- Hepatotoxicity, indicated by elevated transaminase levels, occurred in 41% of patients, necessitating dosage reduction.
Conclusions:
- Weekly methotrexate may be a viable treatment option for primary SS patients.
- Further rigorous investigation through double-blind trials is required to confirm MTX's therapeutic efficacy in SS.