Methotrexate-Related Liver Cirrhosis in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology

article

Maria-Loukia Koutsompina¹  Maria Pappa²  Stratigoula Sakellariou³  Chrysoula G. Gialouri²  George E. Fragoulis²  Theodoros Androutsakos¹ 

[1] Department of Pathophysiology, “Laiko” Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Greece;First Department of Internal Medicine, “Laiko” Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Greece;Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Greece

关键词: methotrexate;    liver dysfunction;    psoriatic arthritis;    psoriasis;   

DOI  :  10.31138/mjr.32.3.264

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: PCO Convin S.A.

【 摘 要 】

Methotrexate is an anchor-drug for the treatment of inflammatory arthritides affecting peripheral joints, such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but also for other immune-mediated diseases like psoriasis. Although it is generally a well-tolerated drug, adverse effects often occur. Reversible derangement of liver function test is the most common laboratory adverse event. However, in some cases, liver cirrhosis and/or fibrosis can occur. Besides, many of these diseases like PsA and psoriasis are closely linked with clinical conditions and risk factors that also contribute to liver damage/cirrhosis, such as increased body mass index, dyslipidaemia and diabetes mellitus (DM). It has been hypothesised that the aforementioned risk factors along with methotrexate usage can act synergistically, causing liver damage in these patients. Herein, we describe a PsA patient with DM who developed fatal liver cirrhosis after 10 years of treatment with MTX. We also review the literature about the liver toxicity of MTX in the context of PsA and psoriasis, describing concurring risk factors and histopathological findings. PubMed and Scopus were searched, without date limits. The keywords "methotrexate” AND “psoriatic arthritis” OR “psoriasis” AND "Liver damage" OR "liver fibrosis" OR “cirrhosis” were used. We found that although fibrosis/cirrhosis is present in about 10-25% of the patients, MTX can rarely cause liver damage itself. However, it can exert its effect when other factors, like increased alcohol consumption and obesity coexist. Prospective studies are needed, specifically examining the hepatotoxicity of MTX in individuals with immune-mediated diseases.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC