The NHLBI has put an early stop to the large Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction (CIRT) Trial. The action was not based on any substantive safety concerns. CIRT was designed to test the inflammatory hypothesis by randomizing 7,000 patients with prior MI and either type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome to low dose methotrexate or placebo for 3-5 years. Low dose methotrexate is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and is known to have antiatherothrombotic effects. Ridker emphasized that patients who take low dose methotrexate for arthritis have no reason to be concerned.

Source: Forbes May 21, 2018 21:33 UTC