Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common immune-mediated diseases, and the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the patient’s immune system may play a role in the occurrence and development of RA. Methotrexate (MTX), as a first-line drug for the treatment of RA, can be directly and indirectly influenced by intestinal microbiota and its enzyme products to affect the bioavailability, clinical efficacy, and toxicity of the drug. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanism by which intestinal microbiota affects RA and the impact of intestinal microbiota on the efficacy of MTX. This article provides a review of the mechanisms by which intestinal microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis of RA, as well as the role and impact of intestinal microbiota in MTX drug metabolism and treatment response.
Objective To analyze the effectiveness of conservative medical treatments for ectopic pregnancy (EP): methotrexate (MTX) + mifepristone + Ectopic Pregnancy II decoction (EP-II) vs. methotrexate + mifepristone. Methods A total of 95 patients with EP in Shenzhen Shajing Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2009 to January 2011 were randomly divided into two groups: 45 patients in the experimental group were treated with MTX, mifepristone and EP II decoction, while the other 50 patients in the control group were treated with MTX and mifepristone. The effectiveness of the two groups was analyzed with SPSS 13.0 software. Results There were significant differences in the time of serum β-HCG return to normal (16.13±8.13 ds vs. 22.05±7.15 ds, Plt;0.05), time of EP mass absorption (30.46±7.56 ds vs. 39.99±18.26 ds, Plt;0.05) and tubal patency rate (80% vs. 75%, Plt;0.05) between the two groups. But there were no significant differences in effective rate (95.56%, 43/45 vs. 94%, 47/50, χ2=0.0809, Pgt;0.05) and side effects. Conclusion The combination of methotrexate, mifepristone and EP II decoction for ectopic pregnancy is more effective than mifepristone and methotrexate in coordinately killing the embryo, shortening the time of serum β-HCG return to normal and the time of EP mass absorption, and improving the function of oviducts.
Objectives
To systematically review the efficacy and safety of certolizumab pegol (CZP) plus methotrexate (MTX) for active rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods
The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on CZP plus MTX vs. MTX plus placebo for active rheumatoid arthritis from inception to May, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, data were analyzed by using Stata 11.0 software.
Results
Seven RCTs were included. The results of meta-analysis showed the CZP plus MTX group was superior to MTX plus placebo group in ACR20 (CZP400 mg: RR=2.86, 95%CI 1.70 to 4.79, P<0.001; CZP200 mg: RR=3.76, 95%CI 2.59, 5.46, P<0.001), ACR50 (CZP400 mg: RR=3.91, 95%CI 2.10 to 7.27, P<0.001; CZP200 mg: RR=4.86, 95%CI 3.20 to 7.39, P<0.001), and ACR70 (CZP400 mg: RR=5.65, 95%CI 1.99 to 16.06, P=0.001; CZP200 mg: RR=10.08, 95%CI 5.11 to 19.89, P<0.001). The CZP plus MTX group was also superior to MTX plus placebo group in swollen joint counts (SMD=–12.72, 95%CI –15.39 to –10.06,P<0.001), tender joint counts (SMD=–11.54, 95%CI –13.97 to –9.11,P<0.001), doctor's global assessment of disease activity (SMD=–11.78, 95%CI –13.81 to –9.75,P<0.001), patient's global assessment of disease activity (SMD=–9.62, 95%CI –11.09 to –8.15,P<0.001), and patient's assessment of pain (SMD=–9.10, 95%CI –10.91 to –7.30,P<0.001) and HAQ (SMD=–7.74, 95%CI –8.99, –6.49,P<0.001), respectively. However, the incidence of adverse events in CZP plus MTX group was higher than that in MTX plus placebo group.
Conclusions
CZP plus MTX is superior to MTX plus placebo for treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis but with higher adverse events. Due to limited quantity and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions are still needed to be verified by more high-quality studies.
ObjectiveTo compare the cost-effectiveness of etanercept combined with methotrexate to methotrexate plus placebo in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and to provide references for clinical practice.MethodsDecision tree model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness from the perspective of the health care system by TreeAge Pro 2016 software. The cost-effectiveness of the two treatments were compared by incremental analysis, and the robustness of the results were analyzed by sensitivity analysis.ResultsThe cost of etanercept combined methotrexate group in one year duration was ￥212 692, the effective rate (ACR50) was 66.4%; the cost of methotrexate combined with placebo group in one year duration was ￥572, the effective rate (ACR50) was 40.6%. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of two groups was ￥818 000/person, and the sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust.ConclusionEtanercept combined methotrexate is significant more effective than methotrexat. But the cost of etanercept combined methotrexate is too high to afford and is not economical compared to methotrexate.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis, and formulate an evidence-based treatment plan for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods We searched the ACP Journal Club, The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2007) and MEDLINE (1990 to 2007), and critically appraised the available evidence. Results The available Level A (high quality) evidence showed that the efficacy and adverse events of leflunomide were comparable to those of methotrexate. The total cost of treating patients with leflunomide was significantly higher when compared to methotrexate. The combination of leflunomide and methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis unresponsive to methotrexate monotherapy was less costly and more effective than the strategy excluding leflunomide. Given the current evidence, together with our clinical experience and the patient’s preference, methotrexate was administered to the patient. There was an inadequate response after 6 months of treatment. And then, adding leflunomide to methotrexate attained a remarkable response 3 months later. The patient is still being followed up. Conclusion treatment with leflunomide and methotrexate in RA patients can improve the clinical outcomes. Long-term efficacy and toxicity remain to be established.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of the intravitreal methotrexate treatment in patients with primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL).
MethodsRetrospective non-comparative interventional case series. Fourteen patients (26 eyes) with biopsy-proven PVRL were included in the study. All patients received examination of Snellen chart visual acuity, fundus color photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Among the 24 eyes with recordable visual acuity, 17 eyes has initial visual acuity≥0.1 (0.45±0.20) and 7 eyes with initial visual acuity ranged from light perception to hand movement. The vitreous opacities and (or) subretinal yellowish-white lesions and retinal pigment epitheliumuplift were observed in all eyes. All eyes were treated with intravitreal methotrexate (4000 μg/ml, 0.1 ml) injections according to a induction-consolidation-maintenance regimen. For 26 treated eyes, each received an average of (11.5±6.3) injections. Twenty eyes had finished theintraocular chemotherapy, while 6 eyes had not. Eight of 20 eyes were clinically confirmed free of tumor cells by diagnostic vitrectomy, 12 eyes were still with tumor cell involvement.The follow-up was ranged from 2 to 48 months, the mean time was 18 months. The examination of BCVA, fundus color photography and OCT were performed. No tumor cell was defined as clinical remission. Visual acuity was scored as improved or declined obviously (improved or declined 2 lines) or mild improved or declined (changed within 2 lines).
ResultsTwenty eyes achieved clinical remission after (3.5±3.6) injections, 12 eyes of 20 eyes with tumor cell involvement before chemotherapy achieved clinical remission after (5.8±3.0) injections. The mean visual acuity of seventeen eyes with initial visual acuity 0.1 in induction phase and at the end of treatment were 0.36±0.23 and 0.56±0.20, respectively. Compared with before treatment, the visual acuity was mild declined in induction phase (t=1.541, P>0.05), but mild improved at the end of treatment (t=2.639, P<0.05). The visual acuity at the end of treatment in 7 eyes with initial visual acuity<0.1 was ranged from no light perception to 0.1. Of 14 patients, 2 patients have been fatal because of brain lesions progression at 42 and 48 months after diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma. No ocular recurrence was noted during the follow-up in 20 eyes who finished intraocular chemotherapy.
ConclusionsPVRL patients can achieve clinical remission after (3.5±3.6) injections by intravitreal chemotherapy of methotrexate, and the visual acuity improved mildly. No ocular recurrence was found during follow-up.
ObjectiveTo compare the clinical efficacy of methotrexate perfusion combined with interventional treatment and the traditional treatment with methotrexate and mifepristone for cesarean scar pregnancy.
MethodA total of 589 patients diagnosed with cesarean scar pregnancy after surgery between January 2012 and March 2015 in our hospital were selected to be our study subjects. The patients were informed of the two kinds of treatment, and based on their own will, they were arranged into corresponding groups. Group A had 234 patients who were willing to undergo the conventional therapy:intramuscular injection of methotrexate (20 mg, once per day for 5 days); oral mifepristone (50 mg once per day for 3 to 5 days); and the continuation of drugs was determined by local pregnancy tissue blood flow on B ultrasound and liver function of the patients. Group B had 255 patients who selected uterine artery perfusion and arterial embolism. There was no significant difference in terms of age, serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and uterine incision gestation sac size between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). Then we compared the treatment effect between the two groups.
ResultsThe differences in the amount of bleeding, the time of blood HCG dropped to normal, and hospitalization duration between the two groups were significant (P<0.05), while in the rate of hysterectomy, drug-induced liver injury were not (P<0.05).
ConclusionsMethotrexate perfusion combined with interventional treatment is better than the traditional treatment with methotrexate and mifepristone for cesarean scar pregnancy in terms of clinical efficacy and safety.
Objective To explore the clinical effect of intramuscular injection of methotrexate on hysteroscopic treatment of endogenous cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods A prospective analysis was conducted on 94 patients diagnosed with endogenous CSP who visited the Department of Gynecology in Liuzhou Workers’ Hospital between January 2013 and January 2018, and they were randomly divided into two groups, the intramuscular injection of methotrexate followed by hysteroscopic surgery group (the methotrexate group, n=39) and the direct hysteroscopic surgery group (the non-methotrexate group, n=55). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, surgical complications, length of hospital stay, hospitalization expenses, the recovery time of blood human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and treatment outcomes of the two groups were compared. The normally distributed data were expressed as mean±standard deviation, and the non-normally distributed data were expressed as median (lower quartile, upper quartile). Results There was no statistically significant difference in age, gestational sac diameter, uterine scar thickness, number of cesarean sections, time from cesarean section to present, time of menopause, or preoperative blood HCG value between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative blood loss [75 (35, 120) vs. 65 (35, 130) mL, P=0.821], incidence of complications (5.1% vs. 5.5%, P=1.000), postoperative blood HCG recovery time [(5.22±2.17) vs. (4.96±1.81) weeks, P=0.559] or the effective rate of treatment (94.9% vs. 90.9%, P=0.747) between the two groups. The methotrexate group had longer operation time [43 (34, 55) vs. 32 (28, 35) min, P=0.001], longer length of hospital stay [(10.89±1.42) vs. (5.82±1.47) d, P<0.001], and higher hospitalization cost [(8596.46±3336.59) vs. (7058.84±2638.49) yuan, P=0.014]. Conclusion For patients with endogenous CSP, intramuscular injection of methotrexate before hysteroscopic surgery is not necessary, for it has no significant impact on the treatment effect, instead, it may prolong the operation time and length of hospital stay, and increase the hospitalization cost.
