Objective: To analyze the influence of low dose methotrexate (MTX) on bone using data from a large multicenter, cross-sectional study on bone mineral density (BMD) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: We selected 731 female patients with RA divided into 2 groups on the basis of MTX use: never MTX users (n = 485) and MTX users for at least 6 months (n = 246). Demographic, disease, and treatment related variables were collected for each patient. BMD was measured at lumbar spine and proximal femur by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis was defined as BMD < -2.5 T-score.
Results: The frequency of osteoporosis among never MTX users and MTX users was 29.1% and 28.3% (p = NS) for lumbar spine, and 34.8% and 37.8% (p = NS) for femoral neck, respectively. Mean T-score values at lumbar spine and femoral neck were comparable in the 2 groups, even after adjusting for age, menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, and steroid use. The generalized linear model showed that age, menopause, BMI, HAQ score, and steroid use were significant independent predictors of BMD at lumbar or at femoral level, whereas MTX use was not. Logistic procedure showed that only age, HAQ score, and BMI were significantly associated with the risk of osteoporosis.
Conclusion: We found no negative effect of low dose MTX on BMD in women with RA.
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Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and risk of incident interstitial lung disease among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
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Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address:
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Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most common pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but its prevalence has not been investigated in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The role of methotrexate (MTX) in ILD development remains under debate. This study (1) compares the incidences of ILD in patients with RA or PsA initiating a first biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) to that in the general population, and (2) investigates the role of MTX comedication on ILD incidence.
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Associations of gender with sexual functioning, loneliness, depression, fatigue and physical function amongst patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis with a particular focus on methotrexate usage.
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There is a lack of knowledge regarding methotrexate (MTX) usage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its possible links with gender, disease characterization and sexual functioning, loneliness, fatigue and depression. We, therefore, investigated the associations of gender with physical function, fatigue, depression, loneliness and sexual functioning with a particular focus on MTX usage. A cross-sectional study design was used.
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