Methotrexate for the Treatment of Crohn's Disease

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 332; no. 5; pp. 292 - 297
• Main Authors: Feagan, Brian G, Rochon, James, Fedorak, Richard N, Irvine, E. Jan, Wild, Gary, Sutherland, Lloyd, Steinhart, A. Hillary, Greenberg, Gordon R, Gillies, Richard, Hopkins, Marybeth, Hanauer, Stephen B, McDonald, John W.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 02.02.1995
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bowel disease; Clinical trials; Corticosteroids; Crohn's disease; Digestive system; Drug dosages; Gastroenterology; Inflammatory bowel disease; Laboratories; Medical prognosis; Medical sciences; Medicine; Methotrexate; Nausea; Patients; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prednisone; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Remission; Toxicity; Variance analysis; Human; Crohn disease; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Antiinflammatory agent; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Inflammatory disease
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199502023320503

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory disorder that commonly involves the small bowel and colon. Although corticosteroids are highly effective in improving symptoms, 1 , 2 attempts to discontinue therapy are unsuccessful in approximately 20 percent of patients. 3 Patients treated with corticosteroids continue to have both complications of the disease and chronic toxicity from the therapy. 4 – 7 Either mercaptopurine or azathioprine is sometimes prescribed to reduce the requirements for corticosteroids, but the toxicity of these medications is of concern. 8 – 10 Low-dose cyclosporine is not effective in this situation. 11 – 13 Alternative treatments are desirable. Methotrexate, an antiinflammatory drug, has been used to treat rheumatoid . . .