Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Methylprednisolone plus MTX-based regime vs prednisone-based standard of care for GCA: a propensity score study
Authors' conclusion
The combination IVMP/MTX with lower-dose prednisone is as effective as the SOC in inducing remission and preventing relapses in GCA. The IVMP/MTX scheme significantly reduces GC exposure and GC-associated adverse effects.
Study context
- Population
- Newly diagnosed patients with GCA, three Spanish academic hospitals; follow-up 2 years
- Participants
- 151 participants
- Exposure
- Intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) pulses followed by lower-dose prednisone and MTX vs GC-only standard of care (SOC) prednisone
- IVMP/MTXn = 72
- SOCn = 79reference
- Outcome
- Remission
Methodological detailsusual clinical practice study, propensity score-adjusted multivariate analyses, multicentre (three Spanish academic hospitals)
- Usual clinical practice study
- Propensity score-adjusted multivariate analyses
- Multicentre (three Spanish academic hospitals)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- 100% of patients achieved remission after a median time of 4 weeks, without differences between the groups
- Relapse rates similar between groups
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Time to prednisone ≤5 mg/d
P < 0.001
Time to prednisone ≤5 mg/d
- Significantly lower cumulative GC doses with IVMP/MTX
Safety
| Outcome | aOR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any GC-related adverse effect | 0.35 (0.14–0.85) | P = 0.021 | |
| 0.10.31310Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
Original publication
Methylprednisolone plus MTX-based regime vs prednisone-based standard of care for GCA: a propensity score study. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 16 September 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →