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Methotrexate

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Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

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Abstract

Pharmacologic therapy for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can consist of topical therapies as well as those therapies that exert a direct effect on the host immune system. Traditionally, thiopurines have been the first line immunomodulatory agents used to treat pediatric IBD. Increasing awareness of rare but potentially life-threatening malignancies that have been associated with thiopurine use as well as cases of intolerance or lack of response to thiopurine agents has served to promote increasing utilization of another immunomodulator, methotrexate. Given once a week, either parenterally or orally, methotrexate has demonstrated efficacy in pediatric Crohn’s disease with less proven efficacy in pediatric ulcerative colitis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Goryeb Children’s Hospital, Morristown, NJ, USA

    Joel R. Rosh MD

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  1. Joel R. Rosh MD
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Correspondence to Joel R. Rosh MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Perelman School of Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, 34th St. & Civic Ctr. Blvd., Philadelphia, 19104, Pennsylvania, USA

    Petar Mamula

  2. School of Medicine--Greenville, Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, University of South Carolina, 200 Patewood Drive, Suite A-140, Greenville, 29615, South Carolina, USA

    Jonathan E. Markowitz

  3. Perelman School of Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, 34th St. & Civic Ctr. Blvd., Philadelphia, 19104, Pennsylvania, USA

    Robert N. Baldassano

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Rosh, J.R. (2013). Methotrexate. In: Mamula, P., Markowitz, J., Baldassano, R. (eds) Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5061-0_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5061-0_32

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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