title: Leflunomide in Pakistani patients with rheumatoid arthritis: prospective study in daily rheumatology practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leflunomide is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been widely studied in the West but there is no available local Pakistani data.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of leflunomide in Pakistani patients with RA, either alone or in combination with methotrexate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, non-comparator, open-label study in a setting of 'care as usual' was performed. In this study, 63 consecutive RA patients on leflunomide were enrolled. Leflunomide dose was started with full loading in 5 (8%), half loading in 39 (62%) and without loading in 19 (30%) patients. Methotrexate was also used in 20 (32%) patients. Primary end-point was 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology response criteria (ACR-20). Safety was assessed by adverse events and abnormalities in laboratory parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 63 patients, 54 (85.7%) were female. Mean age was 46 ± 12.6 years. Mean disease duration was 5.1 ± 4.5 years. Fifty-two (86.6%) patients achieved ACR-20 response at 6 months; 32 (53%) achieved ACR-50 response at 6 months; 20% experienced at least one adverse event, which resolved by reducing leflunomide dose. Only seven (11%) had raised liver enzymes from baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prospective study conducted in the setting of a daily rheumatology practice shows that leflunomide is an effective and safe DMARD in treatment of RA in Pakistani patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Fatima Memorial Hospital College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nighat M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Sumaira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farman
authors.forename: Muhammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Rafaqat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umair
authors.forename: Erum
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghafoor
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008727:Methotrexate