RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Tolerability and discontinuation rates in teriflunomide-treated patients
JF Neurosciences Journal
JO Neurosciences (Riyadh)
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 204
OP 207
DO 10.17712/nsj.2018.3.20180003
VO 23
IS 3
A1 Hind A. Alnajashi
A1 Foziah J. Alshamrani
A1 Mark S. Freedman
YR 2018
UL http://nsj.org.sa/content/23/3/204.abstract
AB Objectives: To assess the real-world tolerability of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from a large Canadian MS Centre of Care to determine whether previously treated (PT) patients have different tolerability thresholds than treatment-naive (TN) patients, leading to differing discontinuation rates.Methods: This non-interventional, single-center, retrospective chart review examined all patients who were prescribed commercial teriflunomide between July 2014 and May 2015 at the MS Clinic in the Ottawa General Hospital and Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.Results: A total of 119 patient charts were reviewed (29 TN and 90 PT). Overall, 19 (15.9%) patients discontinued teriflunomide after a mean treatment duration of 35 weeks. The most common reason for discontinuation was side effects in 8 patients (42%).Discontinuation due to intolerability alone occurred in 13 patients. The number of discontinuations was not sufficient to demonstrate a statistically significant difference between TN and PT patients (p=0.1).Conclusions: This retrospective chart review provides some evidence about the real-world tolerability of teriflunomide. Discontinuations were low overall and consistent with previously reported clinical trial data. There was no significant difference in discontinuation rates between patients in the TN and PT groups. We believe that teriflunomide is a safe and well-tolerated oral alternative to injectable therapies.