Table 2.

Results of alanine aminotransferase testing in 213 patients with rheumatoid arthritis starting methotrexate therapy followed for a mean treatment period of 4.3 y

ALT > ULN, n (%)	84 (39)
ALT > 1.5× ULN, n (%)	44 (21)
ALT > 2× ULN, n (%)	32 (15)
ALT > 3× ULN, n (%)	13 (6)
MTX permanently stopped due to increased ALT, n (%)	7 (3)
Number of ALT tests	6288
MTX weekly dose at first ALT elevation, mean ± SD (min‐max), mg	14.93 ± 4.8 (7.5‐25)
Mean time from treatment start to first ALT elevation (min‐max), wk	78 (1‐379)
Number of patients with first ALT elevation
First 3 mo of MTX treatment, n (%)	25 (30)
First year of MTX treatment, n (%)	50 (59)
First 3 y of MTX treatment, n (%)	74 (88)

ALT, alanine aminotransferase; MTX, methotrexate; SD, standard deviation; ULN, upper limit normal.