TREATMENT OF RHEUMATIC POLYMYALGIA WITH M ETHOTREXATE

Twenty-seven patients with polymyalgia rheumatica were treated with me thotrexate. In comparison with 295 patients with other inflammatory rh eumatic diseases under methotrexate therapy, a favorable rate of thera peutic effect and a low rate of side-effects could be observed. Remiss ions appeared in the mean after 6 months (1-24 months). Therapeutic fa ilures (1/27) or side-effects inducing breaking off the therapy (2/27) were rare. Methotrexate seems to be a useful possibility to supplemen t the corticosteroid therapy of polymyalgia rheumatica.