Methotrexate in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

In children, the most common rheumatic disease is juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In this update of a 2001 Cochrane review, researchers assessed the value of methotrexate in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Three additional trials were included, bringing the number of trials analyzed to 5 for a total of 572 participants. Three trials evaluated oral methotrexate versus placebo, one evaluated methotrexate combined with intra-articular corticosteroid therapy versus corticosteroid therapy alone, and one evaluated methotrexate versus leflunomide. Oral methotrexate appeared to increase the number of children responding to treatment, compared with placebo. But this treatment would have little impact on pain or on patients' overall well-being.