Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42104114›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2026

The impact of gene polymorphisms on the response of methotrexate-based treatments.

Patricia Esperón, Marcelo Vital, Andrea Giletti

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

3 authors.

Patricia EsperónMolecular Genetic Unit, School of Chemistry, Universidad de la República, General Flores 2124, CP1800, Montevideo, Uruguay. pesperon@fq.edu.uy.
Marcelo VitalMolecular Genetic Unit, School of Chemistry, Universidad de la República, General Flores 2124, CP1800, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Andrea GilettiMolecular Genetic Unit, School of Chemistry, Universidad de la República, General Flores 2124, CP1800, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMethotrexate (MTX) is a long-standing drug used to treat leukemia (at high doses to inhibit DNA/RNA synthesis) and rheumatoid arthritis (at low doses for anti-inflammatory effects). Its characteristic narrow therapeutic range, in terms of efficacy and safety associated with MTX, are important factors to consider when deciding whether to prescribe it. A major challenge in its use is interindividual variability which is largely attributed to germline genetic polymorphisms in genes encoding proteins that control the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of MTX.

methodsThis study updates a previous 2018 review using a systematic literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and SciELO. The search, conducted according to the PRISMA protocol, employed predefined keywords to identify studies published up to June 2025.

resultsThis systematic review identified that, to date, only a few genetic polymorphisms influence clinical decision-making. Specifically, the MTHFR 677T allele and the MTHFR 677T-1298 A haplotype (rs1801133- rs1801131) have been associated with toxicity in both adults and children. Furthermore, the 677T-1298 A haplotype has been linked with reduced event-free survival in Caucasian patients with either adult RA or pediatric ALL. Regarding other markers, the TYMS rs34743033 3R allele has been implicated with reduced efficacy in adult patients receiving low-dose MTX, while the FPGS rs1544105 T allele has shown an association with diverse toxicities in ALL pediatric patients.

conclusionAlthough considerable research has been conducted and numerous results have been obtained, the available evidence remains predominantly of moderate quality. Consequently, current guidelines from CPIC and the DPWG do not recommend routine MTX dose adjustments based solely on single gene variants. It is, therefore, imperative to develop and validate multifactorial risk prediction tools that integrate a range of other clinical factors. Accordingly, the establishment of a comprehensive pharmacogenetics-guided dosing guideline for MTX remains an elusive goal.

Indexed as

Antimetabolites, AntineoplasticMethotrexateAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidHumansMethylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)Polymorphism, GeneticThymidylate SynthaseAntimetabolites, AntineoplasticAntirheumatic AgentsMethotrexateMethylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)MTHFR protein, humanThymidylate SynthaseAntimetaboliteClinical responseGenetics variantsImmunosuppressantMethotrexatePharmacogenetics

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Registered trials

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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.