Drug Therapy for Rheumatological Diseases

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 473

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Interests: lupus; rheumatological diseases; autoimmune diseases; chronic disease management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals will explore the multifaceted landscape of drug therapy in rheumatological diseases. We invite submissions that delve into advancements and challenges in managing these complex conditions.

Topics of Interest

We are particularly interested in contributions addressing the following topics:

  • Therapeutic drug level monitoring: Optimizing drug efficacy and minimizing toxicity through precise monitoring in various rheumatic diseases.
  • New therapies in difficult to treat (refractory) manifestations of rheumatic diseases: Discussing the mechanisms, clinical applications, and outcomes of both groundbreaking new drugs and refined traditional treatments. This includes but is not limited to biologics, small-molecule inhibitors, complement inhibitors, etc., for refractory rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, lupus nephritis, discoid lupus, or IgG4 disease.
  • Shared decision-making: Examining the crucial role of patient–provider collaboration in selecting and adhering to chronic, life-sustaining medications, empowering patients with rheumatic diseases in their treatment journey.
  • Efficacy vs. safety of drug therapy in special conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, gastric bypass, pregnancy, and breastfeeding: Evidence reports and meta-analyses highlighting the safety vs. efficacy of drugs commonly used for rheumatic disease management in special conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, pregnancy, etc.

This issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current pharmacological strategies, foster discussions on personalized medicine, and highlight the importance of patient-centered care in rheumatology. We welcome original research, reviews, and commentaries from experts in the field.

Dr. Shivani Garg
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • rheumatology
  • drug therapy
  • biologics
  • DMARDs
  • therapeutic drug monitoring
  • shared decision-making
  • autoimmune diseases
  • chronic disease management, safety vs. efficacy of rheumatic disease therapy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 230 KB  
Article
Association of ABCG2 Polymorphisms with Methotrexate Efficacy and Toxicity in Saudi Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
by Zeina W. Sharawi, Lina A. Alqurashi, Ahlam M. Alharthi, Ibtisam M. Jali, Maha H. Jamal, Yasser Bawazir, Mohammad Mustafa, Sami M. Bahlas, Hassan Daghasi, Talal S. Alharthi, Dalal Sameer Al Shaer and Rania Magadmi
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(9), 1365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18091365 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 345
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is currently the most widely used treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) due to its demonstrated efficacy and well-known safety profile. However, the effectiveness and toxicity of MTX can vary among patients, partly due to genetic factors. Therefore, this study [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is currently the most widely used treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) due to its demonstrated efficacy and well-known safety profile. However, the effectiveness and toxicity of MTX can vary among patients, partly due to genetic factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between the polymorphisms in the ABC subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) gene and MTX effectiveness/toxicity in Saudi Arabia RA patients. Methods: The study is a retrospective, multicenter, case–control study that uses Sanger sequencing techniques for genotyping. Results: More than half of the patients (55.56%) were poor responders, with a slightly higher mean age. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups, not only in terms of age but also in other demographics and clinical factors. Regarding the rs2231137 polymorphism, the CC, CT, and TT genotype frequency were 91%, 7%, and 2%, respectively. The mutated variant (TT) was only observed in the positive rheumatoid factor group. Notably, none of these genotypes displayed any significant correlation with demographic characteristics, clinical features, or MTX efficacy/toxicity. Conclusions: This study is the first pharmacogenetic study of rs2231137 polymorphism in RA patients utilizing linear regression, revealing that rs2231137 polymorphism is not a predictor of either MTX efficacy or toxicity in RA patients. Therefore, more research is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drug Therapy for Rheumatological Diseases)
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