TY - JOUR
T1 - Treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis with leflunomide compared with placebo and methotrexate
AU - Strand, Vibeke
AU - Cohen, Stanley
AU - Schiff, Michael
AU - Weaver, Arthur
AU - Fleischmann, Roy
AU - Cannon, Grant
AU - Fox, Robert
AU - Moreland, Larry
AU - Olsen, Nancy
AU - Furst, Dan
AU - Caldwell, Jacques
AU - Kaine, Jeffrey
AU - Sharp, John
AU - Hurley, Frank
AU - Loew-Friedrich, Iris
PY - 1999/11/22
Y1 - 1999/11/22
N2 - Context: Leflunomide is a reversible inhibitor of de novo pyrimidine synthesis shown to be effective in a phase 2 trial in 402 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of leflunomide treatment with placebo and methotrexate treatment in patients with active RA. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo, and active-controlled 12-month study. Setting: Forty-seven university and private rheumatology practices in the United States and Canada. Patients: Diagnosis of RA by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for duration of 6 months or longer and no previous methotrexate treatment. Intervention: Leflunomide treatment (20 mg/d), placebo, or methotrexate treatment (7.5-15 mg/wk). Main Outcome Measures: American College of Rheumatology success rate (completed 52 weeks of treatment and met the ACR ≥20% response criteria), disease progression as assessed by x-ray films, and improvement in function and health-related quality of life using the intent-to-treat population. Results: The 482 patients studied were predominantly women (mean age, 54 years; mean disease duration, 6.7 years) for whom a mean of 0.8 disease- modifying anti- rheumatic drugs had failed. The ACR response and success rates for patients receiving leflunomide treatment (52% and 41%, respectively) and methotrexate treatment (46% and 35%, respectively) were significantly higher than those for patients receiving placebo (26% and 19%, respectively) (P<.001), and they were statistically equivalent, with mean time to initial response at 8.4 weeks for patients receiving leflunomide vs 9.5 weeks for patients receiving methotrexate therapy. X-ray analyses demonstrated less disease progression with leflunomide (P≤.001) and methotrexate (P = .02) therapy than with placebo. Leflunomide and methotrexate treatment improved measures of physical function and health- related quality of life significantly more than placebo (P<.001 and P<.05, respectively). Common adverse events for patients receiving leflunomide treatment included gastrointestinal complaints, skin rash, and reversible alopecia. Asymptomatic transaminase elevations resulted in treatment discontinuations for 7.1% of patients receiving leflunomide therapy, 1.7% of patients receiving placebo, and 3.3% of patients receiving methotrexate therapy. Conclusions: Clinical responses following administration of leflunomide, a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of RA, were statistically superior to those with placebo and equivalent to those with methotrexate treatment. Both active treatments improved signs and symptoms of active RA, delayed disease progression as demonstrated by x-ray films, and improved function and health-related quality of life.
AB - Context: Leflunomide is a reversible inhibitor of de novo pyrimidine synthesis shown to be effective in a phase 2 trial in 402 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of leflunomide treatment with placebo and methotrexate treatment in patients with active RA. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo, and active-controlled 12-month study. Setting: Forty-seven university and private rheumatology practices in the United States and Canada. Patients: Diagnosis of RA by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for duration of 6 months or longer and no previous methotrexate treatment. Intervention: Leflunomide treatment (20 mg/d), placebo, or methotrexate treatment (7.5-15 mg/wk). Main Outcome Measures: American College of Rheumatology success rate (completed 52 weeks of treatment and met the ACR ≥20% response criteria), disease progression as assessed by x-ray films, and improvement in function and health-related quality of life using the intent-to-treat population. Results: The 482 patients studied were predominantly women (mean age, 54 years; mean disease duration, 6.7 years) for whom a mean of 0.8 disease- modifying anti- rheumatic drugs had failed. The ACR response and success rates for patients receiving leflunomide treatment (52% and 41%, respectively) and methotrexate treatment (46% and 35%, respectively) were significantly higher than those for patients receiving placebo (26% and 19%, respectively) (P<.001), and they were statistically equivalent, with mean time to initial response at 8.4 weeks for patients receiving leflunomide vs 9.5 weeks for patients receiving methotrexate therapy. X-ray analyses demonstrated less disease progression with leflunomide (P≤.001) and methotrexate (P = .02) therapy than with placebo. Leflunomide and methotrexate treatment improved measures of physical function and health- related quality of life significantly more than placebo (P<.001 and P<.05, respectively). Common adverse events for patients receiving leflunomide treatment included gastrointestinal complaints, skin rash, and reversible alopecia. Asymptomatic transaminase elevations resulted in treatment discontinuations for 7.1% of patients receiving leflunomide therapy, 1.7% of patients receiving placebo, and 3.3% of patients receiving methotrexate therapy. Conclusions: Clinical responses following administration of leflunomide, a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of RA, were statistically superior to those with placebo and equivalent to those with methotrexate treatment. Both active treatments improved signs and symptoms of active RA, delayed disease progression as demonstrated by x-ray films, and improved function and health-related quality of life.
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U2 - 10.1001/archinte.159.21.2542
DO - 10.1001/archinte.159.21.2542
M3 - Article
C2 - 10573044
AN - SCOPUS:0033596065
SN - 0003-9926
VL - 159
SP - 2542
EP - 2550
JO - Archives of Internal Medicine
JF - Archives of Internal Medicine
IS - 21
ER -