Efficacy of methotrexate as monotherapy in the treatment of neutropenia in Felty's Syndrome. A literature review.

Abstract

Introduction: Felty’s syndrome (FS) is a rare and severe subtype of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), characterized by the triad of splenomegaly, neutropenia, and RA. Methotrexate (MTX), a folate antagonist that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase and thymidylate synthase, is considered first-line therapy in FS.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of MTX in neutropenia associated with FS.

Materials and Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, TRIP database, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane, and SciELO. From 114 identified articles, 7 studies were included, analyzing a total of 11 patients diagnosed with FS were included. The effect of MTX on absolute neutrophil count was analyzed.

Results: 11 clinical cases were analyzed, of which all showed a clinical and statistically significant (p<0.01) improvement in absolute neutrophil count, with an average of 2,763.9± 1,629.6 cells/ mm³; Additionally, 91% of the patients showed joint improvement and reduction of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), with an average reduction of 41.29 mm/h ± 29.68 mm/h. No patient had an adverse effect indicating therapy replacement, only two had a skin rash and mild gastrointestinal symptoms.

Conclusion: Methotrexate as monotherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for FS, improving neutrophil counts, reducing infection risk, and managing underlying RA symptoms. However, larger and controlled studies are necessary to confirm these findings.