Methotrexate in sarcoidosis: hematologic and hepatic toxicity encountered in a large cohort over a six year period

Controversies in the Treatment of Cardiac Sarcoidosis

There are many challenging aspects of the management of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive therapy (IST). First, it is not always clear who will benefit from therapy or when to initiate treatment. Secondly, there are no randomized controlled trials or large prospective studies to guide what medications to use, at what doses, and for how long. The European Respiratory Society (ERS) clinical practice guidelines on the treatment of sarcoidosis makes a strong recommendation for the use of immuno-suppressive therapy in CS patients with functional cardiac abnormalities, including heart blocks, dysrhythmias, or cardiomyopathy where patients are considered at-risk of adverse outcomes. Corticosteroids are the first line immunosuppressive therapy in CS however, early initiation of second-line steroid sparing medications has been advocated and there is data to suggest that concomitant initiation of therapy may be more beneficial. The use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents (including infliximab and adalimumab) considered beneficial third-line anti-sarcoidosis treatment agents in other severe refractory manifestations of disease remains controversial.

Efficacy and Tolerability of Methotrexate and Methylprednisolone in a Comparative Assessment of the Primary and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Background: There is insufficient information in the literature on the comparative efficacy and tolerability of methotrexate (MTX) and methylprednisolone (MP) in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis in assessing primary outcomes and the relapse rate. Purpose: The aim of our study was to evaluate primary and long-term outcomes of using MTX and MP in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. Methods: A total of 143 patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis, verified by high-resolution computed tomography (CT) data, were examined. Corticosteroid (CS) therapy was used in 97 patients using MP at a dose of 0.4 mg/kg body weight for 4 weeks, followed by a dose reduction to 0.1 mg/kg by the end of the sixth month. The total duration of CS therapy was 12 months on average. Forty-six patients were treated with MTX at a dose of 10 mg/week (28) and 15 mg/week (18) per os for 6 to 12 months. The study of the relapse rate was conducted within 12 months after the CT data normalization in 60 patients after CS therapy and in 24 after MTX treatment. Results: MP treatment was successfully completed in 68 (70.1%), and MTX in 29 (60.4%) patients. In five MP patients (5.2%) and in five (10.9%) MTX, treatment was discontinued due to serious side effects. In seven (7.2%) MP patients and ten (21.7%) MTX patients, treatment required additional therapy due to the lack of efficacy. Progression with MP treatment (17–17.5%) was more common than with MTX (2–4.3%; Chi square = 4.703, p = 0.031). Relapses after MP therapy were observed in 26 (43.3%) patients, and after MTX therapy in 2 (8.3%; Chi square = 9.450, p = 0.003). Conclusion: In patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, MTX monotherapy does not differ significantly from MP monotherapy in terms of the level of efficacy and the rate of serious side effects. Increasing the MTX dose from 10 to 15 mg/week accelerates the rate of regression of sarcoidosis, improves treatment efficacy, and does not affect the rate of serious side effects. When using MTX, there is a significant decrease in the incidence of treatment resistance and the relapse rate.