Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34112217›Full record

ArticleArthritis research & therapy2021

Does methotrexate influence COVID-19 infection? Case series and mechanistic data.

Fabian Schälter, Kerstin Dürholz, Laura Bucci, Gerd Burmester, Roberto Caporali, Camille Figuereido, Jaime Fogagnolo Cobra, Bernhard Manger, Mario M Zaiss, Georg Schett

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.

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  13. Inhibition of NETosis for treatment purposes: friend or foe?Molecular and cellular biochemistry · 2022
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Fabian SchälterDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Kerstin DürholzDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Laura BucciDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Gerd BurmesterDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité, Berlin, Germany.
Roberto CaporaliDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Research Center for Adult and Pediatric Rheumatic Diseases, University of Milan, G. Pini Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Camille FiguereidoCobra Clinic of Rheumatology and Research Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Jaime Fogagnolo CobraCobra Clinic of Rheumatology and Research Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Bernhard MangerDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Mario M ZaissDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
Georg SchettDepartment of Internal Medicine 3, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany. georg.schett@uk-erlangen.de.
Universitätsklinikum Erlangen · DECharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · DEHospital Universitário da Universidade de São Paulo · BRUniversidade de São Paulo · BRUniversity of Milan · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo investigate whether methotrexate treatment may affect the susceptibility to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

methodsClinical assessment of symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in an initial case series of four families and confirmatory case series of seven families, within which one family member developed coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and exposed another family member receiving methotrexate treatment; experimental part with methotrexate treatment of mice and organoids followed by the assessment of mRNA and protein expression of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2.

resultsIn the initial case series, three of four women on a joint ski trip developed COVID-19, while the fourth woman, under treatment with methotrexate, remained virus-free. Two of the three diseased women infected their husbands, while the third husband treated with methotrexate remained virus-free. In addition, 7 other families were identified in a follow-up case series, in which one member developed COVID-19, while the other, receiving methotrexate, remained healthy. Experimentally, when mice were treated with methotrexate, ACE2 expression significantly decreased in the lung, in the intestinal epithelium, and in intestinal organoids.

conclusionThese clinical and experimental data indicate that methotrexate has certain protective effects on SARS-CoV-2 infection via downregulating ACE2.

Indexed as

COVID-19AnimalsHumansMethotrexateMiceRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2MethotrexateRNA, ViralCoronavirus disease 19InfectionMethotrexate

Identifiers

PMID34112217
PMCPMC8190723
OpenAlexW3172642118

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.