Methotrexate treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: effects on radiological progression.

Radiological progression was evaluated in 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate (MTX). Prior to MTX treatment, all the patients had failed on other slow-acting agents and all showed radiological deterioration. For each patient, three sets of radiographs of hands and wrists were evaluated: prior to MTX treatment while on other slow-acting agents, at the beginning of MTX treatment, and at the most recent evaluation on MTX. Two experienced radiologists evaluated the radiographs independently. The rate of radiological progression was calculated by dividing the change in radiological score by the number of months between sets of radiographs. The mean time from film set one to two (period one) was 29.4 months and from set two to three (period two) 32.5 months. The mean rate of radiological progression for period one was 0.576 and for period two, 0.381. Eight patients showed decline in radiological progression during MTX treatment.