Methotrexate Reduces the Need for Prednisone in Polymyalgia...

"Methotrexate reduces the need for prednisone in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind trial published in the Oct. 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. 'Steroids are the standard treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica,' write Roberto Caporali, MD, from the University of Pavia, and colleagues from the Systemic Vasculitis Study Group of the Italian Society for Rheumatology. 'However, up to 60% of patients experience disease relapse during steroid tapering, and several studies indicate that steroid treatment can only rarely be discontinued before two years.... Several studies have suggested that methotrexate is effective in polymyalgia rheumatica when administered with oral prednisone.'"