METHOTREXATE IN THE TREATMENT OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF RISKS IN THERAPEUTIC PROTOCOL
Francisco Alves Farias-filho, Juliana Silveira de Oliveira, Kelly de Almeida Melo, Alessandra Novis Gomes, Marcelo Sobral Leite, Marcelo Sobral

Ectopic pregnancy is characterized as pregnancy in places other than the uterus, such as abdominal cavity, ovaries and fallopian tubes and is associated with maternal morbidity and mortality in the first trimester of pregnancy. Pharmacotherapy with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy treatment has a significant clinical importance in the management of Ectopic pregnancy. As an antimetabolic and antineoplasic drug, methotrexate treatment requires pharmacotherapeutic monitoring, risk analysis studies of the administration process of this drug are warranted. In a retrospective cross-sectional study we analyzed 10 cases of patients with ectopic pregnancy that made use of methotrexate in a maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The protocols in a single intramuscularly dose were adopted in 83% of cases, according to international trend. It was observed that in none of the prescriptions analyzed the body surface was mentioned, and therefore considered non-compliant. In the patients studied, 60% received doses of 50 mg of methotrexate. The evaluation of renal and hepatic function was not performed in 30% of cases and 60% of then received drugs in potential interactions with methotrexate . These findings emphasize the need for greater involvement of the pharmacist in pharmacotherapy protocol standardization and monitoring of methotrexate treatment in ectopic pregnancy.

Descriptors: Ectopic pregnancy, methotrexate, drug interactions