Question
My 7-yr old son is on 17.5mg MTX sub-cut injections once a week. He has been inflammation free for 6 months. There seems to be a differing opinions among some of my doctors, whether my son should be inflammation free for 6 months or 2 years before tapering the MTX.
Answer
As you’ve gathered, there is no clear answer. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can vary widely over time and thus it is difficult to tell if patients continue to require medications. The general concept is to keep inflammation well controlled for an extended time rather than allowing patients to flare. Much of this decision has to do with the severity of the arthritis, the amount of continuing symptoms and the risks/tolerability of the medications.
In short, 6 months seems a bit too short and 2 years seems a bit too long. Call it a Goldilocks answer.
