OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the treatment discontinuation rate of leflunomide in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with the discontinuation of other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), in daily practice, in a single center and during the same period of time. STUDY DESIGN: 3-year, retrospective, monocenter. PATIENTS: RA patients for whom leflunomide or another DMARD was initiated between 1998 and 2001 (several DMARDs could be initiated for a given patient during this period). Collected data: For each patient, demographic and disease data. For each treatment course, date of initiation, if relevant date of discontinuation and reason for discontinuation. ANALYSIS: Percentage of patients discontinuing treatment over time (life table method; Kaplan-Meier), comparison between leflunomide and the "any other DMARD" or methotrexate groups using the Log-Rank test. RESULTS: During the study period, 515 DMARDs were initiated in 285 patients. Leflunomide was initiated in 161 patients who were older and had a longer disease duration than the other treated patients (59 +/- 13 years and 14 +/- 9 years versus 54 +/- 15 years and 11 +/- 10 years in the leflunomide group and other DMARDs group respectively). Discontinuation rate of leflunomide after 1 year was 56.7%, mainly because of adverse drug reactions (41.6%). The discontinuation rate whatever the reason and for toxicity was higher for leflunomide than for other DMARDs studied. However discontinuation for inefficacy was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study conducted in conditions of daily practice when leflunomide was first available suggests a higher discontinuation rate of leflunomide because of adverse events when compared to other DMARDs.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the treatment discontinuation rate of leflunomide in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with the discontinuation of other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), in daily practice, in a single center and during the same period of time. STUDY DESIGN: 3-year, retrospective, monocenter. PATIENTS: RApatients for whom leflunomide or another DMARD was initiated between 1998 and 2001 (several DMARDs could be initiated for a given patient during this period). Collected data: For each patient, demographic and disease data. For each treatment course, date of initiation, if relevant date of discontinuation and reason for discontinuation. ANALYSIS: Percentage of patients discontinuing treatment over time (life table method; Kaplan-Meier), comparison between leflunomide and the "any other DMARD" or methotrexate groups using the Log-Rank test. RESULTS: During the study period, 515 DMARDs were initiated in 285 patients. Leflunomide was initiated in 161 patients who were older and had a longer disease duration than the other treated patients (59 +/- 13 years and 14 +/- 9 years versus 54 +/- 15 years and 11 +/- 10 years in the leflunomide group and other DMARDs group respectively). Discontinuation rate of leflunomide after 1 year was 56.7%, mainly because of adverse drug reactions (41.6%). The discontinuation rate whatever the reason and for toxicity was higher for leflunomide than for other DMARDs studied. However discontinuation for inefficacy was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study conducted in conditions of daily practice when leflunomide was first available suggests a higher discontinuation rate of leflunomide because of adverse events when compared to other DMARDs.
Authors: Morgan Schultz; Stephanie O Keeling; Steven J Katz; Walter P Maksymowych; Dean T Eurich; Jill J Hall Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2017-05-27 Impact factor: 2.980
Authors: Ana Paula Monteiro Gomides; Cleandro Pires de Albuquerque; Ana Beatriz Vargas Santos; Rodrigo Balbino Chaves Amorim; Manoel Barros Bértolo; Paulo Louzada Júnior; Isabela Araújo Santos; Rina Dalva Neubarth Giorgi; Nathalia de Carvalho Sacilotto; Sebastião Cezar Radominski; Fernanda Maria Borghi; Maria Fernanda B Resende Guimarães; Maria Raquel da Costa Pinto; Gustavo Gomes Resende; Karina Rossi Bonfiglioli; Henrique Carriço da Silva; Maria de Fátima Lobato da Cunha Sauma; Marcel Lobato Sauma; Júlia Brito de Medeiros; Ivânio Alves Pereira; Gláucio Ricardo Wernwer de Castro; Claiton Viegas Brenol; Ricardo Machado Xavier; Licia Maria Henrique da Mota; Geraldo da Rocha Castelar Pinheiro Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-03-01 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Theresa Burkard; Enriqueta Vallejo-Yagüe; Thomas Hügle; Axel Finckh; Andrea Michelle Burden Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-03-15 Impact factor: 2.692