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Title:
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Benefits of low weekly doses of methotrexate in steroid-dependent asthmatic patients. A doubleblind, randomized, placebo-controlled study
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Author:
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Comet, Ricard; Domingo, Christian; Larrosa, Marta; Morón, Anisi; Rué i Monné, Montserrat; Amengual, Maria José; Martín, Albert
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Notes:
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Background: Though several drugs have been tested, the choice of the ideal steroidsparing
agent in steroid-dependent asthmatic patients remains unclear. Our
objective was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of methotrexate in low weekly
doses in order to decrease chronic oral steroid requirements in asthmatic patients.
Methods: Design: double blind randomized placebo-controlled study. Setting: The
study was performed in a 760-bed teaching hospital. Patients: 46 steroid-dependent
asthmatic patients were randomized. Interventions: Patients received 10 mg of
methotrexate or placebo once weekly for a year. The 6-methylprednisolone was
progressively tapered (2 mg/day every two weeks) until FEV1 diminished by 5% or
more; 6-methylprednisolone was then increased until the previous FEV1 was
reached, and the procedure was repeated throughout follow-up.
Measurements: Blood and urine analyses and bone densitometry were performed at
entry and at the end of the study. Pulmonary function was tested monthly during the
first three months and then every three months until the end. |
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Subject(s):
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-Steroid-dependent asthma
-Steroid sparing agents
-Methotrexate
-Bone metabolism |
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Rights:
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(c) Elsevier Ltd., 2006
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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Document type:
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article
publishedVersion |
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Published by:
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Elsevier
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