Antifolate Effectiveness in Arthritis

Summary

This study looks at how the arthritis drug methotrexate works in low doses to treat rheumatoid arthritis. (High doses of methotrexate are used to treat some types of cancer.) Methotrexate blocks the action of the B-vitamin known as folic acid. We are studying the biochemical reactions affected by this vitamin because we think that blocking many of these reactions may be necessary for methotrexate to work in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Through these studies, we hope to gain a better understanding of how this drug and related drugs work as treatments for arthritis.

Timeline

Start

1996-09

Primary completion

2002-08

Completion

2002-08

Publications

• Background Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Vaughn WH, Young PK, Austin JV, Krumdieck CL, Alarcon GS. The effect of folic acid supplementation on the toxicity of low-dose methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1990 Jan;33(1):9-18. doi: 10.1002/art.1780330102.
• Background Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Refsum H, Ueland PM. Homocysteine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with low-dose methotrexate. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1991 Nov;50(5 Pt 1):547-56. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1991.180.
• Background Morgan SL, Hine RJ, Vaughn WH, Brown A. Dietary intake and circulating vitamin levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate. Arthritis Care Res. 1993 Mar;6(1):4-10. doi: 10.1002/art.1790060103.
• Background Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Vaughn WH, Austin JS, Veitch TA, Lee JY, Koopman WJ, Krumdieck CL, Alarcon GS. Supplementation with folic acid during methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Dec 1;121(11):833-41. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-121-11-199412010-00002.
• Background Morgan SL, Anderson AM, Hood SM, Matthews PA, Lee JY, Alarcon GS. Nutrient intake patterns, body mass index, and vitamin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res. 1997 Feb;10(1):9-17. doi: 10.1002/art.1790100103.
• Background Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Alarcon GS. Methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: folate supplementation should always be given. BioDrugs. 1997 Sep;8(3):164-75. doi: 10.2165/00063030-199708030-00002.
• Background Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Lee JY, Alarcon GS. Folic acid supplementation prevents deficient blood folate levels and hyperhomocysteinemia during longterm, low dose methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: implications for cardiovascular disease prevention. J Rheumatol. 1998 Mar;25(3):441-6.
• Background Baggott JE, Morgan SL, Koopman WJ. The effect of methotrexate and 7-hydroxymethotrexate on rat adjuvant arthritis and on urinary aminoimidazole carboxamide excretion. Arthritis Rheum. 1998 Aug;41(8):1407-10. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(199808)41:83.0.CO;2-H.
• Background Strand V, Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Alarcon GS. Folic acid supplementation and methotrexate efficacy: comment on articles by Schiff, Emery et al, and others. Arthritis Rheum. 2000 Nov;43(11):2615-6. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(200011)43:113.0.CO;2-A. No abstract available.
• Background Alarcon GS, Morgan SL. Guidelines for folate supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate: comment on the guidelines for monitoring drug therapy. Arthritis Rheum. 1997 Feb;40(2):391; author reply 391-2. doi: 10.1002/art.1780400229. No abstract available.
• Background Morgan SL, Alarcon GS, Moreland L. Improved methotrexate patient information. Arthritis Rheum. 1995 Jun;38(6):874-5. doi: 10.1002/art.1780380633. No abstract available.
• Background Morgan Sl, Alarcon GS, Krumdieck CL. Folic acid supplementation during methotrexate therapy: it makes sense. J Rheumatol. 1993 Jun;20(6):929-30. No abstract available.
• Results Morgan SL, Oster RA, Lee JY, Alarcon GS, Baggott JE. The effect of folic acid and folinic acid supplements on purine metabolism in methotrexate-treated rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Oct;50(10):3104-11. doi: 10.1002/art.20516.

Drugs

Indications