Wide variability in rheumatoid arthritis drug suggests alternative dosing should be considered

Methotrexate (MTX) is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is suggested as the "anchor" drug in treating the disease. Despite its widespread use, the understanding of its mechanism of action and pharmacokinetics is limited. Since joint damage occurs early in the course of RA and is largely irreversible, understanding the time it takes for stable levels of MTX to be reached could be useful in effectively controlling RA and preventing long-term damage. A new study examining levels of MTX metabolites in red blood cells was published in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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