Efficacy of methotrexate treatment in patients with probable rheumatoid arthritis: A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial

• Published in: Arthritis and rheumatism 2007-05, Vol.56 (5), p.1424-1432
• Main Authors: van Dongen, Henrike, van Aken, Jill, Lard, Leroy R., Visser, Karen, Ronday, H. Karel, Hulsmans, Harry M. J., Speyer, Irene, Westedt, Marie‐Louise, Peeters, André J., Allaart, Cornelia F., Toes, René E. M., Breedveld, Ferdinand C., Huizinga, Tom W. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - adverse effects; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthrography; Biological and medical sciences; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Progression; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Methotrexate - adverse effects; Methotrexate - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 0004-3591; 1529-0131
• DOI: 10.1002/art.22525

Objective To determine whether patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA; inflammatory, nontraumatic arthritis that cannot be diagnosed using current classification criteria) benefit from treatment with methotrexate (MTX). Methods The PRObable rheumatoid arthritis: Methotrexate versus Placebo Treatment (PROMPT) study was a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized, multicenter trial involving 110 patients with UA who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1958 criteria for probable RA. Treatment started with MTX (15 mg/week) or placebo tablets, and every 3 months the dosage was increased if the Disease Activity Score was >2.4. After 12 months, the study medication was tapered and discontinued. Patients were followed up for 30 months. When a patient fulfilled the ACR criteria for RA (primary end point), the study medication was changed to MTX. Joint damage was scored on radiographs of the hands and feet. Results In 22 of the 55 patients (40%) in the MTX group, UA progressed to RA compared with 29 of 55 patients (53%) in the placebo group. However, in the MTX group, patients fulfilled the ACR criteria for RA at a later time point than in the placebo group (P = 0.04), and fewer patients showed radiographic progression over 18 months (P = 0.046). Conclusion This study provides evidence for the efficacy of MTX treatment in postponing the diagnosis of RA, as defined by the ACR 1987 criteria, and retarding radiographic joint damage in UA patients.