LOW-DOSE METHOTREXATE DOES NOT AFFECT BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN ARTHRITIS

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Bone density remains normal in patients treated with low-dose methotrexate,

Canadian researchers report.

Dr. Ann B. Cranney from Ottawa Hospital, and colleagues compared bone

density in 30 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 30 patients with

psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis receiving methotrexate with 57 similar

patients who were not taking methotrexate.

The mean weekly dose of methotrexate was 10.1 mg in patients with RA and

12.4 mg in patients with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis, according to the

report in the November issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.

The researchers measured bone mineral density at the radius, lumbar spine,

trochanter, and the neck of the femur. There was no significant difference

at any of the sites in patients taking methotrexate and controls. At the

femoral neck the mean difference in bone mineral density was 0.04 g/cm² for

patients with RA, and 0.06 for g/cm² for patients with psoriasis/psoriatic

arthritis, the researchers found.

RA patients receiving methotrexate had a higher absolute bone mineral

density at the lumbar spine than did controls (0.101 g/cm², p = 0.029), but

this significant difference was not seen in patients with

psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis.

Dr. Cranney's group concludes that " we did not find a negative effect on

bone density in arthritis patients taking low dose methotrexate in

comparison to those not taking methotrexate. However, we were not able to

determine whether higher doses of cumulative methotrexate may have a

negative effect on bone mineralization. "