TY - JOUR JO - Reumatologia/Rheumatology SN - 0034-6233 VL - 51 IS - 5 PY - 2013 ID - Elert-Kopeć2013 TI - Concentration of methotrexate in red blood cells and its relevance for disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis AB - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterized by inflammation of the symmetrical joints, multi-organ complications, flares and complete or partial remission periods, which results in disability and increased mortality. Methotrexate (MTX) remains the first-line therapy for active RA. In red blood cells (RBC) MTX is transformed into methotrexate polyglutamates (MTXPG). Disease activity and treatment results are strongly associated with methotrexate polyglutamate concentrations in red blood cells. The article presents the correlation between the route of administration of the treatment, RBC MTXPG concentration and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Also, the impact of genetic polymorphism in the folate-purine-pyrimidine pathway on effects of MTX therapy is stressed. AU - Elert-Kopeć, Sylwia AU - Tłustochowicz, Małgorzata AU - Załucka, Laura AU - Kopeć, Grzegorz AU - Tłustochowicz, Witold SP - 370 EP - 374 DA - 2013 DO - 10.5114/reum.2013.38389 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/reum.2013.38389 ER -