ORAL VERSUS INTRAMUSCULAR METHOTREXATE IN JUVENILE CHRONIC ARTHRITIS

Objective. To compare the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) af ter oral and intramuscular administration in children with juvenile ch ronic arthritis (JCA). Methods. Pediatric rheumatology centers in Ital y participated in this short-term, prospective, open trial. Each inves tigator was allowed to choose the oral or intramuscular route of admin istration according to his personal preference in everyday clinical pr actice. Patients enrolled by each center were given MTX through the sa me method of administration. All patients received 10 mg/m(2) of MTX e ach week for six months. Results. A total of 257 patients with JCA (12 7 treated orally and 130 intramuscularly) were enrolled in the trial b y 11 Italian centers. The response rate after 6 months of MTX therapy was 58% in the oral and 61% in the intramuscular cohort. The frequency of adverse side effects did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups. Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that M TX at the conventional dose regimen is equally effective and has a sim ilar safety profile in children with JCA when administered orally or b y intramuscular injections.