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Methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis

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Methotrexate

Part of the book series: Milestones in Drug Therapy ((MDT))

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Abstract

Although a methotrexate (MTX) precursor, aminopterin, had been used for the treatment of arthritis (rheumatoid and psoriasis) in the 1950’s [1, 2], the widespread utilization of MTX for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) did not occur until the 1980’s [3-5]. In this chapter, we will review the accepted issues regarding the use of this compound in RA as well as those issues which are less well accepted, but also of concern to the practicing rheumatologist. We will, for the most part, focus on adult patients with RA. The reader is referred to a number of publications dealing exclusively with children with juvenile (J) RA or JRA [6-12].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Center (MEB 615), The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Graciela S. Alarcón

  2. Nutrition Sciences Department (WEBB 212), The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Sarah L. Morgan

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  1. Graciela S. Alarcón
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  2. Sarah L. Morgan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Rheumatology, New York University Medical Center, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Bruce N. Cronstein

  2. Programm in Molecular and Pharmacologic Therapeutics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021-6094, USA

    Joseph R. Bertino

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Alarcón, G.S., Morgan, S.L. (2000). Methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. In: Cronstein, B.N., Bertino, J.R. (eds) Methotrexate. Milestones in Drug Therapy. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8452-5_6

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