Systematic review of recommendations on the use of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Systematic review of recommendations on the use of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis Valeria Valerio 1 & Michelle Kwok 2 & Hal Loewen 3 & Janice Winkler 3 & Girish M. Mody 4 & Rosie Scuccimarri 5 & Michele Meltzer 6 & Yewondwossen Mengistu 7 & Candace H. Feldman 8 & Michael E. Weinblatt 8 & Diane Lacaille 9 & Carol A. Hitchon 10 & Inés Colmegna 1,11 Received: 7 June 2020 / Revised: 21 July 2020 / Accepted: 21 August 2020 # International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) 2020
Abstract Objective Most recommendations for the use of methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are issued by developed countries. It is unknown whether they are relevant globally. We reviewed existing recommendations on the use of MTX for the treatment of RA and summarized areas of agreement that could be relevant for least developed countries (LDCs). Methods Electronic databases and registries were searched for recommendations on MTX use in RA, duplicates were eliminated, and the most updated version adopted when there were several versions on the same recommendation. Reviewers used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument for study quality assessment. Similarities and discrepancies of recommendations are reported. Results After deduplication, 1693 unique citations were found; 25 full texts were screened and 12 included in the narrative synthesis. Average scores for the AGREE II domains ranged from 33.3 to 83.3%. Recommendations targeted rheumatologists and health care providers involved in RA care. Most covered some but not all of the following areas: baseline “pre-MTX” assessment (7/12;58%), prescription of MTX (10/12;83.3%), management of MTX side effects (6/12;50%), and special considerations (e.g., peri-operative management) (8/12; 66.7%). Recommendations agreed on baseline tests prior to starting MTX, monitoring, and need for folic acid supplementation. These aspects can serve as the foundation for the development of MTX recommendations relevant to LDCs. Recommendations disagreed on the MTX starting dose, optimal route, titration, and intervals to monitor toxicity. Conclusion Existing recommendations do not uniformly address all aspects related to the use of MTX and disagree in relevant aspects of MTX use. Adaptations to these recommendations are needed to facilitate their implementation in LDCs. Key Points • This paper summarizes current recommendations on the use of methotrexate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. • Areas of agreement between recommendations include the following: pre-methotrexate patient assessment, need for folic acid supplementation, and toxicity monitoring. • Areas of disagreement relate to methotrexate starting and maximal dose, titration, and frequency of assessments.
Keywords Guidelines . Methotrexate . Recommendations . Rheumatoid arthritis
Introduction Carol A. Hitchon and Inés Colmegna are Co-leading authors Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-020-05363-2) c
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