A 52-week randomized trial involving 215 adults with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis assessed the efficacy of low-dose methotrexate in alleviating pain and inflammation. Conducted at 11 centers in China, the study found no significant improvements in pain scores or synovial inflammation when compared to placebo. Notably, while 81% of participants completed the trial, neither primary nor secondary outcomes showed clinically meaningful differences. Researchers noted elevated liver enzyme levels associated with methotrexate but no serious adverse events linked to the treatment.

Source: JAMA Internal Medicine