ArticleBMC rheumatology2025
Association of matrix metalloproteinase 7 and the alpha-chain of fibrinogen at baseline with response to methotrexate at 3 months in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.
Article in BMC rheumatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT00764725 (A Prospective Randomized, Open, Multi-Center Trial Comparing TNF-Blockade + MTX to MTX+SSZ+HCQ in Patients With Early RA With an Inadequate Response to MTX), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
A Prospective Randomized, Open, Multi-Center Trial Comparing TNF-Blockade + MTX to MTX+SSZ+HCQ in Patients With Early RA With an Inadequate Response to MTX
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- The Therapeutic Potential of Phytochemicals Unlocks New Avenues in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe identification of responders to methotrexate (MTX) would optimize the therapy of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA). Our aim was to identify protein biomarkers for the prediction of the response to MTX.
methodsWe analysed patients with eRA (N = 135) from the Swedish Pharmacotherapy (SWEFOT) trial population (Trial registration number: NCT00764725). Baseline serum levels of 177 proteins with an inflammatory signature were profiled via 380 antibodies in a suspension bead array format. Protein levels were analysed for their associations with the achievement of a low 28-joint disease activity score (LDA = DAS28 ≤ 3.2) after 3 months of MTX therapy (primary outcome) or a good response according to the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) criteria (secondary outcome).
resultsMultivariable analysis revealed that the serum levels of two of the 177 proteins at baseline, matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) and the alpha-chain of fibrinogen (FGA), were significantly different between patients who did and did not achieve LDA at 3 months. Among patients with low versus high levels of either MMP-7 or FGA, 60% versus 24% and 58% versus 22%, respectively, achieved LDA (p < 0.001). Among patients with low levels of both proteins, 79% achieved LDA at 3 months, whereas only 18% of those with high levels of both proteins achieved LDA at 3 months (p < 0.001). The results were similar when a secondary outcome was used.
conclusionsLow levels of MMP-7 and FGA at baseline were associated with improved clinical outcomes in eRA patients. Validation of these results in another eRA cohort is now warranted, and if confirmed, it may facilitate clinical decision-making regarding whether to start with MTX in monotherapy or more potent alternatives.
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