Hep C and Psoriasis: Could Methotrexate Raise Cirrhosis Risk?

Treatment with methotrexate (MTX) is not associated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis among patients with psoriasis and chronic viral hepatitis, according to the results of a recent study.

Using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, the researchers identified 2417 patients with psoriasis with chronic hepatitis B and 1127 patients with psoriasis and chronic hepatitis C. Of the hepatitis B group, 370 were MTX users, and of the hepatitis C group, 174 were MTX users.

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After a mean follow-up of 9 years since diagnosis of hepatitis, 125 hepatitis B patients (5%) and 120 hepatitis C patients (11%) had developed liver cirrhosis, consisting of a comparable number of MTX users and non-users (4% vs. 5% in hepatitis B patients and 11% and vs. 11% in hepatitis C patients).

“Our real-world data show that long-term MTX use may not be associated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis among psoriatic patients with chronic viral hepatitis,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Tang K, Chen Y, Chang S, et al. Psoriatic patients with chronic viral hepatitis do not have an increased risk of liver cirrhosis despite long-term methotrexate use: real-world data from a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan [published online May 9, 2018]. J Am Acad Dermatol. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.05.004.