TY - JOUR AU - Taqweem, Muhammad Amjad AU - Ali, Zafar AU - Takreem, Ameera AU - Rehman, Masood ur PY - 2011/07/25 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - METHOTREXATE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN PATIENTS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS JF - Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute JA - J Postgrad Med Inst VL - 19 IS - 4 SE - Original Article DO - UR - https://jpmi.org.pk/index.php/jpmi/article/view/45 SP - AB - <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: #1f1a17; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: #1f1a17; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: #1f1a17; font-size: x-small;"><p>Objective: To find out methotrexate induced hepatotoxicity in patients of rheumatoid arthritis treated for 6</p><p>months with methotrexate 15 mg once weekly.</p><p>Material and Methods: This non-interventional, descriptive study was carried out on 50 diagnosed</p><p>Rheumatoid Arthritis patients of more than 12 years of age, irrespective of sex, presented to medical outpatient</p><p>department of Post Graduate Medical Institute, Govt. Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from</p><p>January to December 2004. These patients were treated with methotrexate 15 mg once weekly and followed</p><p>up for 06 months with monthly liver function tests (LFTs). Patients were selected by non-probability</p><p>convenient sampling method after obtaining an informed consent.</p><p>Results: Out of the 50 diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis patients, females were 32(64%) and males</p><p>were 18 (36%), with age range from 20 to 80 years and mean age 46.4 years. Baseline mean alanine</p><p>aminotransferase (ALT) was 24.78 U/L (SD + 4.89) and baseline mean Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was</p><p>170.14 ( SD + 21.12). During he follow-up initially 10 cases ( 20%) had raised ALT and ALP levels while</p><p>bilirubin remained normal in all cases. Out of these 10 cases, 8 cases remained stable and only 2 cases</p><p>had persistently raised LFTs and had to discontinue methotrexate. At 6 months mean ALT and ALP were</p><p>26.74 U/L (+10.79) and 184.02 (+ 74.7) respectively.</p><p>Conclusion: Methotrexate (MXT) can be hepatotoxic and close monitoring is essential to reduce the risk</p><p>of unrecognized serious liver disease.</p></span></span></span> ER -