Factors Influencing Good Response of Methotrexate Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic and chronic autoimmune disease with joint manifestations. Delays in RA treatment will pose a risk of permanent joint damage and increased mortality risk. Diagnosis as early as possible, followed by appropriate therapy, will prevent various complications due to RA, aiming to achieve a condition of remission or minimal low disease activity. The treatment choice for RA is currently a group of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), with methotrexate (MTX) as the first choice. Various studies have reported various factors that play a role in the success of MTX treatment, including younger age, male sex, normal body mass index, not smoking, early treatment, number of joints involved, inflammatory factors (LED/CRP) and negative serological factors (RF/anti-CCP).