Therapy

Why?

• Patients with giant cell arteritis who take steroids and weekly methotrexate compared with steroids alone are less likely to relapse. ^a
• There is no clear difference in the rate of withdrawal due to adverse effects. ^d
• Patients use less steroid (in one study 1100 mg less prednisone over 2 years). ^a

Weekly methotrexate combined with steroids reduces giant cell arteritis relapses 

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	RRR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis a	steroids and weekly methotrexate	steroids	relapse at 2 years	84%	41% (2% to 64%)	3 (2 to 17)