Methotrexate shows promise for inflammatory hand OA in Aussie study
The drug could be effective for patients with an inflammatory phenotype, Dr Paul Kubler says.
Methotrexate is a safe and effective low-cost treatment for adults with symptomatic hand osteoarthritis and synovitis, Australian rheumatologists report in a landmark study.
Their trial is the first to show that the immunosuppressant provides a moderate but clinically meaningful benefit for reducing hand osteoarthritis (OA)-related pain and stiffness compared with placebo.
Given the lack of effective therapies for the disabling condition, the Monash University–led doctors said the results supported the use of methotrexate for treating hand OA with an inflammatory phenotype.
The team randomly assigned 97 patients (mean age 61) to receive oral methotrexate 20mg or placebo once weekly for six months to compare treatment efficacy and safety.
