Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • 50th Volume Reprints
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services

User menu

  • My Cart
  • Log In

Search

  • Advanced search
The Journal of Rheumatology
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services
  • My Cart
  • Log In
The Journal of Rheumatology

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • 50th Volume Reprints
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • Follow Jrheum on BlueSky
  • Follow jrheum on Twitter
  • Visit jrheum on Facebook
  • Follow jrheum on LinkedIn
  • Follow jrheum on YouTube
  • Follow jrheum on Instagram
  • Follow jrheum on RSS
Abstract

Leflunomide: a manageable safety profile.

Peit L C M van Riel, Josef S Smolen, Paul Emery, Joachim R Kalden, Maxime Dougados, C Vibeke Strand and Ferdinand C Breedveld
The Journal of Rheumatology Supplement June 2004, 71 21-24;
Peit L C M van Riel
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Josef S Smolen
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paul Emery
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Joachim R Kalden
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Maxime Dougados
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
C Vibeke Strand
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ferdinand C Breedveld
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
PreviousNext
Loading

Abstract

The safety profile of leflunomide in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been well documented in clinical trials, postmarketing surveillance, and epidemiological studies. Both postmarketing surveillance and epidemiological study results are consistent with the safety profile of leflunomide reported in clinical trials, and no increased risk was observed with leflunomide, compared with other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs; these studies have allowed a more precise representation of the incidence of adverse events occurring with leflunomide under normal conditions of care. The most common leflunomide-associated adverse events include diarrhea, elevated liver enzymes, alopecia, and rash. Ninety-five percent of the Expert Panel considered the adverse events associated with leflunomide to be manageable. If an adverse event required treatment to be stopped, many of the experts would consider subsequently restarting leflunomide. For minor adverse events, it was suggested that the physician might also consider using cholestyramine or charcoal to determine if the side effect is dose-related and, if it was, reduce the leflunomide dose accordingly. In addition to informing patients about the likelihood of side effects, it is important to emphasize that their incidence appears to diminish with continued treatment. It is also important to adequately support patients who are experiencing side effects and involve them in their disease management, for example, by offering the choice of reducing the leflunomide dose and/or having symptomatic treatment. Other patient management recommendations in this review reflect the views of the majority of participants as expressed in the meeting.

PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of Rheumatology Supplement
Vol. 71
1 Jun 2004
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by Author
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about The Journal of Rheumatology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Leflunomide: a manageable safety profile.
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from The Journal of Rheumatology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the The Journal of Rheumatology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Leflunomide: a manageable safety profile.
Peit L C M van Riel, Josef S Smolen, Paul Emery, Joachim R Kalden, Maxime Dougados, C Vibeke Strand, Ferdinand C Breedveld
The Journal of Rheumatology Supplement Jun 2004, 71 21-24;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

 Request Permissions

Share
Leflunomide: a manageable safety profile.
Peit L C M van Riel, Josef S Smolen, Paul Emery, Joachim R Kalden, Maxime Dougados, C Vibeke Strand, Ferdinand C Breedveld
The Journal of Rheumatology Supplement Jun 2004, 71 21-24;
del.icio.us logo Twitter logo Facebook logo  logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  •  logo
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

Similar Articles

Content

  • First Release
  • Current
  • Archives
  • Collections
  • Audiovisual Rheum
  • COVID-19 and Rheumatology

Resources

  • Guide for Authors
  • Submit Manuscript
  • Author Payment
  • Reviewers
  • Advertisers
  • Classified Ads
  • Reprints and Translations
  • Permissions
  • Meetings
  • FAQ
  • Policies

Subscribers

  • Subscription Information
  • Purchase Subscription
  • Your Account
  • Terms and Conditions

More

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • My Alerts
  • My Folders
  • Privacy/GDPR Policy
  • RSS Feeds
The Journal of Rheumatology
The content of this site is intended for health care professionals.
Copyright © 2025 by The Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.
Print ISSN: 0315-162X; Online ISSN: 1499-2752
Powered by HighWire