Methotrexate for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - New Developments

Dig Dis. 2016;34(1-2):140-6. doi: 10.1159/000443129. Epub 2016 Mar 16.

Abstract

Methotrexate (MTX) is an established therapy for patients with steroid-dependent Crohn's disease (CD). MTX is also frequently used in combination with anti-TNF agents to suppress anti-drug antibody formation. It has been suggested in the past that MTX lacks any clinical effectiveness in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC); however, newer data at least partially contradict this assumption. The following review will discuss recent data for the use of MTX in CD, UC and in combination with anti-TNF agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Colitis, Ulcerative / drug therapy
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Methotrexate / adverse effects
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Methotrexate