EFFICACY OF THE METHOTREXATE PULSE THERAPY AND CYCLOSPORINE IN SEVERE SYSTEMIC JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

The article provides for the data on the efficacy and safety of the methotrexate pulse therapy in combination with cyclosporine per os in patients with severe systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It has been shown that the bolus dosing of methotrexate in combination with cyclosporine for 8 weeks with the subse quent decrease in methotrexate dose and its intramuscular medication had provided for the remission progress of the systemic manifestations, joint syndrome and normalization of the laboratory activity indices among 65% of patients, earlier not responding to the treatment in conventional doses of methotrexate and cyclosporine by the third month of the observation. Bolus dosing of methotrexate with orally introduced cyclosporine was well tolerated by the patients, whereas the side effects were marked among 17% of patients, although they proved to be light and did not require cessation of the treatment. Thus, methotrexate pulse therapy in combination with orally introduced cyclosporine might be perspective for the treatment of severe systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.Key words: children, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate pulse therapy, treatment.