Rheumatology 2000; 39: 1047
© 2000 British Society for Rheumatology
Letters to the Editor |
Strength of methotrexate tablets
Rheumatology Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital and District Health Service, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
SIR, In support of the recent correspondence regarding the problem with the similarity between methotrexate 2.5 and 10 mg [1], I would like to alert rheumatologists to the reverse problem.
A young woman, very well controlled on methotrexate 20 mg (i.e. 2 x 10 mg once per week), suddenly reported that her arthritis had flared with objective evidence of synovitis. On close questioning, it transpired that she had begun consuming her mother's methotrexate. Her mother was also a sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis, but her prescription was 7.5 mg once per week (3 x 2.5 mg once per week).
This is to remind others that medication strengths must always be questioned when potential for treatment manipulation occurs. It is also much more useful to talk in absolute strength in milligrams rather than the number of tablets.
References
- Hordon LD, le Gallez P, Isdale AH. Oral methotrexate: hazard of different tablet strengths. Rheumatology1999;38:1304.
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