METHOTREXATE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN PATIENTS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

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Muhammad Amjad Taqweem
Zafar Ali
Ameera Takreem
Masood ur Rehman

Abstract

Objective: To find out methotrexate induced hepatotoxicity in patients of rheumatoid arthritis treated for 6

months with methotrexate 15 mg once weekly.

Material and Methods: This non-interventional, descriptive study was carried out on 50 diagnosed

Rheumatoid Arthritis patients of more than 12 years of age, irrespective of sex, presented to medical outpatient

department of Post Graduate Medical Institute, Govt. Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from

January to December 2004. These patients were treated with methotrexate 15 mg once weekly and followed

up for 06 months with monthly liver function tests (LFTs). Patients were selected by non-probability

convenient sampling method after obtaining an informed consent.

Results: Out of the 50 diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis patients, females were 32(64%) and males

were 18 (36%), with age range from 20 to 80 years and mean age 46.4 years. Baseline mean alanine

aminotransferase (ALT) was 24.78 U/L (SD + 4.89) and baseline mean Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was

170.14 ( SD + 21.12). During he follow-up initially 10 cases ( 20%) had raised ALT and ALP levels while

bilirubin remained normal in all cases. Out of these 10 cases, 8 cases remained stable and only 2 cases

had persistently raised LFTs and had to discontinue methotrexate. At 6 months mean ALT and ALP were

26.74 U/L (+10.79) and 184.02 (+ 74.7) respectively.

Conclusion: Methotrexate (MXT) can be hepatotoxic and close monitoring is essential to reduce the risk

of unrecognized serious liver disease.

Article Details

How to Cite
1.
Taqweem MA, Ali Z, Takreem A, Rehman M ur. METHOTREXATE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN PATIENTS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. J Postgrad Med Inst [Internet]. 2011 Jul. 25 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];19(4). Available from: https://www.jpmi.org.pk/index.php/jpmi/article/view/45
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