Contributions
Abstract: EP1644
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - disease modifying - 26 Immunomodulation/Immunosuppression
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is characterized by inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system and a heterogeneous clinical course. No curative treatment exists, but various disease modifying therapies are available. Teriflunomide (Aubagio®) and dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera®) are two oral first-line therapies that since 2013/2014 have been approved for the treatment of MS in Norway. Oral medications have several advantages compared to injection therapies, especially side effects related to injections. However, it is still unknown if there are differences in efficacy and side effects influencing compliance and adherence to therapy between these oral agents. We have therefore examined real world data of teriflunomide and dimethyl fumarate treatment in a population of Norwegian MS patients.
Methods: We examined the 237 MS patients at Haukeland University Hospital, Western Norway, who were treated with either dimetylfumarat (N=109) or teriflunomide (N=130) during May 1st 2014 to November 1st 2016. We recorded the frequency of attacks before, during and after the use of the oral medication, side effects, duration of the treatment and the reason for switching therapy among several other factors. We performed a Kaplan Mayer analyses of time to switching therapy during the first 52 weeks of therapy.
Results: The mean observation period on teriflunomide therapy was 57 weeks (range: 1 - 154), and 71 weeks (range: 1 -142) on dimetylfumarat. A total of 74% of the patients receiving dimethyl fumarate experienced side effects, while only 44% of the patients using teriflunomide did. Flushing and gastrointestinal side effects were most frequent in dimethyl fumarate treated patients, and hair thinning and gastrointestinal side effects most frequent in teriflunomide treated patient. A total of 29 (22 %) patients that received teriflunomide, and 35 (32 %) patients that received dimethyl fumarate switched therapy during the observation period. Kaplan Mayer analyses of time to switching therapy during the first 52 weeks showed that patients on dimethyl fumarate had a shorter time to switching therapy compared to those that received teriflunomide (p=0.07).
Conclusion: Side effects were more frequent in patients that received dimethyl fumarate compared teriflunomide. Although not statistically significant different, patients on dimethyl fumarate therapy had a shorter time to switching therapy compared to those that received teriflunomide.
Disclosure:
Hilde Norborg reports no disclosures
Philipp Strauss reports no disclosures
K.-M. Myhr has received research support, speaker honoraria or served on the scientific advisory board for Almirall, Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis Norway, Roche or Teva
Abstract: EP1644
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - disease modifying - 26 Immunomodulation/Immunosuppression
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is characterized by inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system and a heterogeneous clinical course. No curative treatment exists, but various disease modifying therapies are available. Teriflunomide (Aubagio®) and dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera®) are two oral first-line therapies that since 2013/2014 have been approved for the treatment of MS in Norway. Oral medications have several advantages compared to injection therapies, especially side effects related to injections. However, it is still unknown if there are differences in efficacy and side effects influencing compliance and adherence to therapy between these oral agents. We have therefore examined real world data of teriflunomide and dimethyl fumarate treatment in a population of Norwegian MS patients.
Methods: We examined the 237 MS patients at Haukeland University Hospital, Western Norway, who were treated with either dimetylfumarat (N=109) or teriflunomide (N=130) during May 1st 2014 to November 1st 2016. We recorded the frequency of attacks before, during and after the use of the oral medication, side effects, duration of the treatment and the reason for switching therapy among several other factors. We performed a Kaplan Mayer analyses of time to switching therapy during the first 52 weeks of therapy.
Results: The mean observation period on teriflunomide therapy was 57 weeks (range: 1 - 154), and 71 weeks (range: 1 -142) on dimetylfumarat. A total of 74% of the patients receiving dimethyl fumarate experienced side effects, while only 44% of the patients using teriflunomide did. Flushing and gastrointestinal side effects were most frequent in dimethyl fumarate treated patients, and hair thinning and gastrointestinal side effects most frequent in teriflunomide treated patient. A total of 29 (22 %) patients that received teriflunomide, and 35 (32 %) patients that received dimethyl fumarate switched therapy during the observation period. Kaplan Mayer analyses of time to switching therapy during the first 52 weeks showed that patients on dimethyl fumarate had a shorter time to switching therapy compared to those that received teriflunomide (p=0.07).
Conclusion: Side effects were more frequent in patients that received dimethyl fumarate compared teriflunomide. Although not statistically significant different, patients on dimethyl fumarate therapy had a shorter time to switching therapy compared to those that received teriflunomide.
Disclosure:
Hilde Norborg reports no disclosures
Philipp Strauss reports no disclosures
K.-M. Myhr has received research support, speaker honoraria or served on the scientific advisory board for Almirall, Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis Norway, Roche or Teva