Abstract
Objective : Our purpose was to describe and characterize the influence of low-dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment on absolute counts of peripheral blood cells and lymphocyte subsets in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE). Methods : In 6 patients with discoid (DLE) and 9 patients with subacute-cutaneous LE (SCLE) who received low-dose MTX (10-30 mg/week) leukocytes and lymphocyte subsets were monitored flowcytometrically. Results : Absolute numbers of leukocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, and lymphocyte subsets displayed cell-type specific patterns under low-dose MTX. Moreover, we found different reaction patterns in patients with DLE and SCLE. In patients with DLE leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes (p<0.02), CD3+ cells (p<0.04), CD3+ CD4+ cells (p<0.009), and CD3+ CD8+ cells increase, and only B-cells decrease. Whereas in patients with SCLE no significant changes were found. Conclusion : Low-dose MTX treatment seems to independently influence peripheral blood cell compartments and thereby the underlying LE manifestation could be of some relevance.
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