Methotrexate, With or Without Corticosteroids, Might Benefit Sclerosing Skin Disease

Several reports of individual cases or small case series have documented potential benefits of methotrexate for cutaneous sclerotic diseases, including linear and widespread morphea. In this retrospective analysis, researchers examined the efficacy of methotrexate in 49 patients with localized forms of scleroderma, 5 patients with eosinophilic fasciitis, 2 patients with scleredema diabeticorum, and 2 patients with scleromyxedema. Of these 58 patients, 47 received methotrexate alone. Among the 11 treated with methotrexate and corticosteroids were all 5 with eosinophilic fasciitis and 4 with morphea of varying types. The dose of methotrexate ranged from 15 to 25 mg per week. The doses of corticosteroid therapy were not specified. Determinatio…