Chronopharmacology of methotrexate pharmacokinetics in childhood leukemia

Survival has been shown to improve when maintenance therapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia in children is given at night rather during the day. We examined the possibility that diurnal variation in methotrexate pharmacokinetics may contribute to this improvement. In a crossover study, we determined the pharmacokinetics of intravenous methotrexate at 10:00 and 21:00 h in six children with standard or high-risk leukemia. During the study, children refrained from concomitant drugs (6-mercaptopurine and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole). There was a significant fall in methotrexate plasma clearance at night (from 5.6 ± 3 ml/min/kg to 4.7 ± 2.3 ml/min/kg p > 0.05). Renal clearance of methotrexate tended to decrease at night and unbound renal clearance decreased significantly (from 17.5 ± 1.7 ml/min/kg to 8.5 ± 3.6 ml/min/kg p > 0.05). Creatinine clearance did not exhibit diurnal variation, when comparing two 12-h collections, but there was a significant decrease in the nonglomerular clearance of methotrexate (from 14.8 ± 5.2 to 6 ± 4 ml/min/kg). Because it is a weak organic acid, the tubular secretion of methotrexate depends on urinary pH. At night urinary pH is more acidic. This may result in more reabsorption and hence reduced renal clearance.