THE SHORT-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF LEFLUNOMIDE IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Main Article Content

Salma Zeb
Zafar Mehmood
Sumaira Bakhtiar
Muhammad Bilal Awan
Yaseen Khan
Zia ullah Chamkani

Keywords

(Leflunomide), (DMARD ) Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs

Abstract

Objective: To assess leflunomide's short-term effectiveness in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.


Study design: A Descriptive Cross Sectional Study


Duration and place of study: Department of Medical B Unit Lady Reading’s hospital Peshawar. from 1st June 2022 to 31st May 2023


Methodology: The Medical B Unit of MTI Lady Readings Hospital in Peshawar hosted this descriptive cross-sectional research, Over a period of one year from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. This research comprised 147 individuals with active RA (DAS28>5.1).  Patients enrolled in the trial were administered 20 mg of leflunomide daily. Using the European League against Rheumatisms (EULAR) standards, the effectiveness of both medications was evaluated after six months of therapy in terms of DAS 28 scores.


Results: Following a 6-month course of therapy with leflunomide, 47 patients saw no response, while 100 patients (68.02%) showed a moderate response. Leflunomide caused a mean change in DAS 28 score of 1.79 ±0.75.


Conclusion: Based on EULAR response criteria, leflunomide showed a considerable short-term effectiveness in RA patients.

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