Abstract
Methotrexate (MTX) is a cornerstone of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. However, it is not universally effective and up to one-third of patients fail to respond to treatment, either because of inefficacy or adverse events, although at present it is not possible to predict therapy response accurately. Pharmacogenetics is the study of variability in drug response due to heredity. MTX has a complex intracellular metabolism and acts via a number of key enzymes. This review critically appraises the studies of MTX pharmacogenetics and highlights the need for further work in this area.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Antirheumatic Agents / adverse effects
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Antirheumatic Agents / pharmacokinetics
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Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / genetics*
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / metabolism
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Humans
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Methotrexate / adverse effects
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Methotrexate / pharmacokinetics
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Methotrexate / therapeutic use*
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Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / genetics
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Thymidylate Synthase / genetics
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Antirheumatic Agents
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Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
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Thymidylate Synthase
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Methotrexate