A determination of patient awareness of the safety issues surrounding treatment with methotrexate

Aim. To determine the extent of patient's knowledge of their methotrexate treatment, in terms of dose, frequency of dosing and awareness of adverse effects. Design. Structured questionnaire administered to rheumatology patients taking methotrexate. Subjects and Setting. Patients taking methotrexate at rheumatology outpatient clinics at a university teaching hospital. Results. 93 patients (68 female, 25 male) were interviewed. 67 (72%) were taking oral methotrexate, and of these only 36 (54%) were able to state their dose in milligrams. 44 (49%) did not know any adverse effect of methotrexate and 65% were unable to name any drug they should not take with methotrexate. Conclusion. Patients have poor knowledge of their methotrexate therapy and this may leave them vulnerable to adverse effects from prescribing, dispensing or administration errors. Key messages should be repeated to patients taking methotrexate at every opportunity, and consideration should be given to discontinuation of the 10mg strength of methotrexate tablets.