|
Antirheumatic agents and aminotransferase concentrations in 77 rheumatoid arthritis patients |
|
| Characteristic |
Mean [95% CI] or n (%) |
|
|
|
| Antirheumatic agents in 34 methotrexate naïve patients |
|
| Non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents |
14 (41) |
| Prednisone users |
4 (12) |
| Prednisone dose (mg/l)* |
1.2 [1.0–1.4] |
| Disease modifying agents |
|
| Users |
13 (38) |
| Leflunomide |
6 (18) |
| Chloroquine |
5 (15) |
| Sulphasalazine |
3 (9) |
| Azathioprine |
2 (6) |
| Antirheumatic agents in 43 patients before methotrexate use |
|
| Non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents |
32 (74) |
| Prednisone users |
17 (40) |
| Prednisone dose (mg/l)* |
2.4 [1.7–3.4] |
| Disease modifying agents |
|
| Users |
13 (30) |
| Sulphasalazine |
10 (23) |
| Chloroquine |
3 (7) |
| Antirheumatic agents in 43 patients using methotrexate |
|
| Non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents |
20 (48) |
| Prednisone users |
7 (16) |
| Prednisone dose (mg/l)* |
1.0 [1.1–1.5] |
| Disease modifying agents |
|
| Methotrexate dose (mg/week) |
19.6 [17.5–21.7] |
| Chloroquine |
21 (49) |
| Minocyclin |
12 (28) |
| Leflunomide |
5 (12) |
| Sulphasalazine |
4 (9) |
| Azathioprine |
3 (7) |
| Aminotransferase levels in 34 methotrexate naïve patients |
|
| Alanine aminotransferase (u/l) |
27 [22–31] |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (u/l) |
23 [22–25] |
| Aminotransferase levels in 43 patients before methotrexate use |
|
| Alanine aminotransferase (u/l) |
19 [17–22] |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (u/l) |
20 [18–22] |
| Aminotransferase levels in 43 patients using methotrexate |
|
| Alanine aminotransferase (u/l) |
38 [33–42] |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (u/l) |
30 [27–34] |
| Increases in aminotransferase levels in 43 patients on methotrexate |
|
| Alanine aminotransferase (u/l) |
18 [14–23]† |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (u/l) |
11 [7–14]† |
| Change in weight in 43 patients since using methotrexate (kg) |
-0.7 [-0.2–0.6]‡ |
| Duration of methotrexate therapy in 43 patients (years) |
5.1 [4.1–6.1] |
|
*Variables for which geometric means [95% CI] are given. †p < 0.0001; ‡p = 0.7. | |
Dessein et al. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 2007 7:31 doi:10.1186/1471-2261-7-31 |
|