Abstract Background The cytotoxic methotrexate (MTX) is used in high doses in lymphoma and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) treatment. A therapeutic plasma dose range is crucial to minimize MTX accumulation and prolonged exposure, which can lead to myelosuppression and other adverse effects. Determining MTX elimination prior to drug administration is difficult, given its non-linear clearance. Here we present a model to predict MTX elimination rates based on metabolite measurement in patients receiving high-dose methotrexate, using nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Methods A series of 26 residual sera from patients receiving MTX infusions as per treatment protocols for CNS lymphoma (MATRIX protocol, 3.5 g/m2 over four hours) and ALL (GMALL protocol, 1.5 g/m2 over 24 hours) were collected from patients at the University Hospital Regensburg at four timepoints (t0, t24, t42, and t48). Serum was NMR-measured in five replicates. NMR spectra for each sample were characterized and relevant parameters extracted. First order elimination constants were modeled for two MTX dosage regimes (<4 g, ≥4 g) using characterized NMR features from samples measured at t0. Results Metabolomic and lipidomic biomarkers measured at baseline (t0) were able to accurately predict MTX elimination rate constant k, determined by fitting MTX levels at a t24, t42, and t48, using first order c(t)∼c0*e(-kt) kinetic function (>4 g: R2 = 0.475, p-value < 0.05; ≤4 g: R2 = 0.918, p-value < 0.01) (Fig. A). Results were cross-validated with five-time repeated three-fold cross-validation. Performance values are given as means of the folds. Conclusions NMR-measured biomarkers can predict dose-dependent MTX elimination rates in patients receiving high-dose MTX, presenting a novel method to predict MTX clearance, allowing for personalized dose-monitoring and minimization of adverse events. Validation with a larger cohort is required.

Abstract Background The cytotoxic agent methotrexate (MTX) is mainly used in oncology and rheumatology. MTX is 80%–90% excreted unchanged in the urine, thus, impaired renal excretion because of kidney disease leads to accumulation and prolonged exposure, with a consequent increased risk of myelosuppressive and other toxic adverse effects. Direct kidney damage from MTX crystal precipitation and tubular injury may also occur. Therefore, precise and accurate measurement of renal function prior to MTX administration is of paramount importance to determine accurate dosing and to minimize such adverse risks. Commonly used estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations perform poorly in patients with cachexia and at later stages of life—the typical oncology patient. Here we evaluate the feasibility of applying the recently introduced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based GFR equation (GFRNMR) using creatinine, cystatin C, myo-inositol, and valine, in oncology patients receiving high-dose MTX. Methods A series of residual sera from patients scheduled to receive high-dose MTX infusion for oncological indications were collected from two sites: n = 52 sera from the University Hospital Regensburg (Regensburg, Germany), at four time points (t0h, t24h, t42h, and t48h), and n = 10 cross-sectionally from the Mayo Clinic (MN). Standard drug-monitoring trough levels were used as a reference. Serum was prepared and NMR-measured in five replicates for all samples. GFRNMR was compared with the current standard GFR equations: i) CKD-EPI2021Cr (creatinine) and ii) CKD-EPI2021CrCys (creatinine and cystatin-C). Coefficient of determination for linear regression, kappa coefficient for categorical regression and bootstrapped confidence intervals were calculated. Results MTX was shown not to increase the GFRNMR failure rate or affect the intra-assay precision of GFRNMR. When monitoring eGFR during high-dose MTX treatment, MTX affected GFR according to the RIFLE criteria for AKI in 13 cycles in 9 patients; 1/13 were classified as ‘risk’ (creatinine increased 1.5-fold) and 1/13 were classified as ‘injury’ (creatinine increased 2.0-fold). Using MTX clearance as a surrogate for measured GFR, GFRNMR was shown to reflect the MTX plasma clearance constant k more accurately (using a fitting function c = c0*e−kt) with r = 0.758 (95% CI 0.36–0.92, P = 0.004) compared to CKD-EPI2021Cr (r = 0.401, 95%CI −0.19–0.78, P = 0.176) and CKD-EPI2021CrCyc (r = 0.632, 95% CI 0.12–0.88). Conclusion The robustness of GFRNMR test results is not affected by HD-MTX treatment. Compared to standard eGFR equations, GFRNMR is more closely associated with MTX renal clearance rates and may therefore be a novel method to improve the accuracy of MTX dosing in the future.