The pharmacogenetics of methotrexate in inflammatory bowel disease

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective second line immunosuppressive treatment in chronic active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but its use is limited by unpredictable toxicity and efficacy. MTX metabolism is complex involving a number of enzymes. An individual’s response to MTX may in part be genetically determined by functional genetic variation in genes encoding these enzymes. We report a pharmacogenetic evaluation of MTX therapy in IBD. Methods: A total of 102 IBD patients (71 Crohn’s disease-CD, 31 ulcerative colitis-UC) treated with MTX were studied. 202 patients with CD, 205 patients with UC and…