Methotrexate intoxication: Beyond the adverse events

Efficacy and safety of methotrexate plus hydroxychloroquine combination therapy vs. methotrexate monotherapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To explore the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with methotrexate (MTX) plus hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) vs. MTX monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

Sixty patients without prior RA treatments were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to two groups: one receiving MTX plus HCQ, and the other receiving MTX monotherapy. We conducted a comparative analysis before and after the 12-week trial, evaluating the visual analogue scale (VAS), the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS), serum inflammatory factor (including serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as well as the outcome of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for all the participants in the study.

RESULTS

At the 12th week of the trial, a more remarkable decrease in pain score (VAS), disease activity score (DAS), and serum inflammatory factor levels could be noticed in individuals on the combination therapy. The quality of life score was as well found to be higher in the MTX + HCQ group than the MTX monotherapy group. The incidence of adverse reactions in the MTX + HCQ and the MTX monotherapy groups were 10.00% and 6.67%, respectively. However, no statistical significance could be observed (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

In our study, both the MTX + HCQ combination therapy and MTX monotherapy demonstrated improvements in symptoms, conditions and quality of life for patients with RA. Notably, the combination therapy could achieve better outcomes across all indices compared to MTX monotherapy, highlighting its potential as the optimal first-line treatment for RA. © 2024 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

A Case Report on Iatrogenic Methotrexate Toxicity

This case study studies the adverse effects of methotrexate toxicity as well as the importance of early recognition of the symptoms and signs of methotrexate toxicity. This study involves a 54-year-old female who accidentally took methotrexate in high doses for a period of five consecutively days. The patient had been diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease and was being treated with methotrexate once weekly. However, she took 7.5 mg (three tablets) three times a day for five days instead of 15 mg once weekly in two divided doses. The patient immediately went to the ER but was asymptomatic and discharged after a CBC showed values within the normal range. The patient was then seen by her primary care physician and advised to return to the ER. At this time, the patient had mucocutaneous lesions and was complaining of oral and throat pain, and a repeat CBC demonstrated pancytopenia. The patient was admitted to the hospital for further management and treatment of methotrexate toxicity.

Comparison of two doses of leucovorin in severe low-dose methotrexate toxicity - a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Leucovorin (folinic acid) is a commonly used antidote for severe toxicity with low-dose methotrexate, but its optimum dose is unclear, varying from 15 to 25 mg every 6-h.

METHODS

Open-label RCT included patients with severe low-dose (≤ 50 mg/week) methotrexate toxicity defined as WBC ≤ 2 × 10^9/L or platelet ≤ 50 × 10^9/L and randomized them to receive either usual (15 mg) or high-dose (25 mg) intravenous leucovorin given every 6-h. Primary outcome was mortality at 30-days and secondary outcomes were hematological recovery and mucositis recovery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CTRI/2019/09/021152.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight patients were included, most with underlying RA who had inadvertently overdosed MTX (taken daily instead of weekly). At randomization, the median white blood and platelet count were 0.8 × 10^9/L and 23.5 × 10^9/L. 19 patients each were randomized to receive either usual or high-dose leucovorin. Number (%) of deaths over 30-days was 8 (42) and 9 (47) in usual and high-dose leucovorin groups (Odds ratio 1.2, 95% CI 0.3 to 4.5, p = 0.74). On Kaplan-Meier, there was no significant difference in survival between the groups (hazard ratio 1.1, 95% CI 0.4 to 2.9, p = 0.84). On multivariable cox-regression, serum albumin was the only predictor of survival (hazard ratio 0.3, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.9, p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in hematological or mucositis recovery between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in survival or time-to hematological recovery between the two doses of leucovorin. Severe low-dose methotrexate toxicity carried a significant mortality.

Diosmin and Trolox Have Anti-Arthritic, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potencies in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Arthritic Male Wistar Rats: Roles of NF-κB, iNOS, Nrf2 and MMPs

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, autoimmune disease caused by a malfunction of the immune system. The aim of this study was to examine the anti-arthritic effects and suggest the mechanisms of actions of diosmin and trolox in male Wistar rats. Complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) was used to establish RA in the animals by subcutaneous injection of 100 µL CFA/rat into plantar region of right hind leg in two consecutive days. Diosmin and/or trolox were administered orally at a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day to CFA-induced arthritic rats for 2 weeks. The normal and arthritic control groups were orally given the same equivalent volume of a vehicle (1% carboxymethyl cellulose) in which treatment agents were dissolved. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from the jugular vein for the detection of the total leukocyte count (TLC) and differential leukocyte count (DLC) in blood and the detection of rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-13 (IL-13), and interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as markers of oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system in serum. The right hind ankle regions of three rats from each group were dissected out and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin for histological examination and the other three were kept at −30 °C for Western blot analysis of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) protein 50 (NF-κB p50), NF-κB p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 (MMP-1), MMP-3, and MMP-9. The CFA injection was deleterious to the ankle joint’s histological architecture, manifesting as infiltration of inflammatory cells into the articular cartilage, hyperplasia of the synovium, and erosion of the cartilage. All these effects were ameliorated by diosmin and/or trolox, with the combined dose being the most effective. The two compounds significantly lowered the elevated serum levels of RF, ACPA, TNF-α, and IL-17, as well as other pro-inflammatory mediators, such as NF-κB p50, NF-κB p65, iNOS, MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9. They also increased the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-13, and the cytoprotective transcription factor Nrf2. The compounds stimulated higher activities of antioxidants, such as glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, and reduced lipid peroxidation in the serum of arthritic rats. In conclusion, diosmin, trolox, and their combination, which was the most potent, exerted anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects by suppressing NF-κB signaling, inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases, and activating Nrf2.

Extracorporeal Treatment for Methotrexate Poisoning: Systematic Review and Recommendations from the EXTRIP Workgroup

Methotrexate is used in the treatment of many malignancies, rheumatological diseases, and inflammatory bowel disease. Toxicity from use is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. Rescue treatments include intravenous hydration, folinic acid, and, in some centers, glucarpidase. We conducted systematic reviews of the literature following published EXtracorporeal TReatments In Poisoning (EXTRIP) methods to determine the utility of extracorporeal treatments in the management of methotrexate toxicity. The quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations (either "strong" or "weak/conditional") were graded according to the GRADE approach. A formal voting process using a modified Delphi method assessed the level of agreement between panelists on the final recommendations. A total of 92 articles met inclusion criteria. Toxicokinetic data were available on 90 patients (89 with impaired kidney function). Methotrexate was considered to be moderately dialyzable by intermittent hemodialysis. Data were available for clinical analysis on 109 patients (high-dose methotrexate [>0.5 g/m2]: 91 patients; low-dose [≤0.5 g/m2]: 18). Overall mortality in these publications was 19.5% and 26.7% in those with high-dose and low-dose methotrexate-related toxicity, respectively. Although one observational study reported lower mortality in patients treated with glucarpidase compared with those treated with hemodialysis, there were important limitations in the study. For patients with severe methotrexate toxicity receiving standard care, the EXTRIP workgroup: (1) suggested against extracorporeal treatments when glucarpidase is not administered; (2) recommended against extracorporeal treatments when glucarpidase is administered; and (3) recommended against extracorporeal treatments instead of administering glucarpidase. The quality of evidence for these recommendations was very low. Rationales for these recommendations included: (1) extracorporeal treatments mainly remove drugs in the intravascular compartment, whereas methotrexate rapidly distributes into cells; (2) extracorporeal treatments remove folinic acid; (3) in rare cases where fast removal of methotrexate is required, glucarpidase will outperform any extracorporeal treatment; and (4) extracorporeal treatments do not appear to reduce the incidence and magnitude of methotrexate toxicity.

Methotrexat-Intoxikation nach Therapie einer Psoriasis inversa bei chronischer Niereninsuffizienz

Bei einer pflegebedürftigen Patientin mit chronischer Niereninsuffizienz und Psoriasis vulgaris wurde durch ihre Hautärztin eine Therapie mit Methotrexat verordnet. Die Laborkontrollen sollten über die Hausärztin erfolgen; diese wurden jedoch erst für einen Monat später vereinbart. In der Zwischenzeit hatte der Pflegedienst bereits die erste Methotrexat-Injektion durchgeführt, wonach es zu einer Verschlechterung des Hautzustandes und Schleimhautbeschwerden bei der Patientin kam. Die Hautärztin wies die Patientin daraufhin in eine dermatologische Klinik ein; vorher wurde vom Pflegedienst jedoch eine zweite Methotrexat-Dosis verabreicht. In der Hautklinik wurde aufgrund des Befundes einer erosiven Stomatitis und Vulvitis, einer ausgeprägten Leukopenie und Thrombozytopenie und des Verdachtes auf akutes Nierenversagen eine Methotrexat-Intoxikation diagnostiziert. Die Patientin verstarb wenige Tage später an einem Multiorganversagen.

Methotrexat ist zur Induktionstherapie bei mittelschwerer bis schwerer Psoriasis vulgaris zugelassen. Zu den Gegenanzeigen einer Methotrexat-Therapie zählt nach Leitlinie und Fachinformation eine Niereninsuffizienz; ferner sind Laborkontrollen individualisiert vor der Behandlung, nach einer Woche und nach 6 Wochen und danach alle 6–12 Wochen durchzuführen. Unter arzthaftungsrechtlichen Aspekten dürfte der Einsatz von Methotrexat zur Behandlung einer Psoriasis inversa bei einer betagten Patientin mit Niereninsuffizienz als grober Behandlungsfehler zu bewerten sein; die Nichtdurchführung empfohlener Laborkontrollen ist als Befunderhebungsfehler zu werten. Die Fehleranalyse zeigt allerdings, dass der tragische Verlauf der Methotrexatintoxikation bei besserer Kommunikation zwischen den beteiligten Ärzten und Pflegenden möglicherweise hätte verhindert werden können.

Stratification of methotrexate-induced oral ulcers in rheumatoid arthritis patients

AIM

There is a deficiency in the data concerning the clinical forms of methotrexate-induced oral ulcers. This study was conducted to stratify clinical forms of methotrexate-induced oral ulcers in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

METHODS

This study included rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving methotrexate as monotherapy. All eligible patients were subjected to thorough clinical examination and full history to identify oral events. Drug history, dose, and duration of MTX were recorded.

RESULTS

Among 794 rheumatoid arthritis patients, mean methotrexate dose and duration were 14.3 mg/week and 5.2 years, respectively. Oral ulcers were detected in 6.2% of the patients and 30% of the patients reported previous oral ulcers. Among the detected oral ulcers, 44.9% manifested as deep irregular ulcers, 30.6% presented as aphthous-like ulcers, 14.3% were diffuse mucositis, and 10.2% appeared as lichenoid reaction.

CONCLUSION

Methotrexate-induced oral ulceration could be localized or generalized. Localized forms were more noticed than generalized forms. Higher doses and longer durations of methotrexate were detected among patients with generalized oral ulcers.

Poisoning related to therapeutic error in prolonged low-dose methotrexate treatment

AIMS

To study the predictive factors for the development of clinical manifestations in poisoning due to the erroneous taking of low-dose methotrexate (MTX).

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was performed. Only cases of erroneous administration in non-oncologic outpatients were included (July 2008-March 2020).

RESULTS

Forty-one cases were included. All patients were taking MTX for the first time. In 36 cases, patients took MTX daily instead of weekly. In the other five patients, MTX was sold instead of methylergometrine. Clinical manifestations were absent in 12/41 patients (29.3%). All 29 (70.7%) symptomatic patients recognized the medication error when they developed clinical manifestations: dermatological, haematological and gastrointestinal symptoms. Statistical results showed that symptomatic patients were older, received a higher amount of total dose and were treated for longer. Moreover, the probability of being symptomatic increases as a function of age and of total dose. Asymptomatic patients were treated with folinic acid (30 mg/m² /day) for 5 days. Symptomatic patients were treated with folinic acid together with treatments for the specific clinical manifestations. No patients were treated with glucarpidase. All patients fully recovered.

CONCLUSIONS

When MTX is prescribed for the first time, it is important to clearly communicate with patients to avoid therapeutic errors. In our experience, age, total dose taken and number of days of assumption are predictive for the presence/absence of clinical manifestations. These parameters must be evaluated together to identify patients needing maximum starting treatment with folinic acid and closer monitoring.

A Review of Clinical Applications and Side Effects of Methotrexate in Ophthalmology

Methotrexate (MTX) is a folate analog widely used against a range of diseases including malignancies and autoimmune disorders. Its high effectiveness-price ratio also won extensive application in ophthalmology. On the other hand, although MTX has an excellent pharmacological efficacy, MTX associated side effects in clinical use, which vary from patient to patient, are nonnegligible. There is no comparatively systematic review on MTX associated side effects and its risk factors. This review aimed to reveal novel clinical approaches of MTX and its adverse effects in order to provide a reference for ophthalmic scholars in clinical application of MTX.

A Six-Year Analysis of Biological Therapy for Severe Psoriasis in a Lithuanian Reference Centre of Dermatovenereology

Background and Objectives: Biological therapy is widely used for the treatment of severe psoriasis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biological therapy for patients with severe psoriasis. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 79 patients with severe psoriasis, who have been treated with biological therapy between 2012 and 2018, was conducted. During this study, the following data were collected and evaluated: sex, age, body mass index (BMI), duration of illness, the results of treatment with biological therapy, concomitant therapy, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and adverse events. Results: In total, 74.7% (n = 59) of subjects were male. Their overall average age was 47.4 ± 11.4 (range: 18–73) years. Their baseline BMI was 27.6 ± 5.9, which increased to 29.6 ± 4.5 after 6 years of treatment. The mean duration of psoriasis was 25.7 ± 12.5 years. In total, 39.2% (n = 31) of subjects received infliximab, 36.7% (n = 29)—etanercept, 24.1% (n = 19)—ustekinumab. The treatment duration for infliximab, etanercept and ustekinumab was 201.6 ± 86.8, 156.2 ± 137.4 and 219.1 ± 95.7 weeks (p < 0.01), respectively. Overall, 65.8% (n = 52) of subjects were also on methotrexate; 30.8% (n = 16) of them discontinued it due to clinical improvement (31.3% (n = 5)), impaired liver function (31.3% (n = 5)), and intolerance (25% (n = 4)). Baseline PASI was 20.8 ± 8.8. PASI 50 was achieved by 96.2% (n = 76) of patients at week 11, PASI 75 by 86.1% (n = 68) at week 16, PASI 90 by 54.4% (n = 43) at week 35, and PASI 100 by 13.9% (n = 11) at week 33. The overall incidence rate of adverse events was 0.362 per patient year of follow-up. Conclusion: Biological therapy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with severe psoriasis.