Abstract
The effectiveness of methotrexate (MTX) in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was evaluated in 26 cases with ages 22 to 78 years, and MTX levels were studied following a 2.5mg oral administration in both serum and synovial fluid.
Clinical results showed that marked improvement was found in 2 cases, moderate improvement in 13 cases, minimal improvement in 4 cases, no change in 7 cases, and none of the patients showed clinical worsening.
Two hours after MTX administration, serum MTX levels peaked, higher than those of synovial fluid. Twelve hours following MTX administration, both serum and synovial levels of MTX were not detectable. These results suggest that MTX will not remain in the joint for a long time. Thus, it is suggested that immunologic effect of MTX may be less when it is used as an anti-rheumatic drug.
