Comparative Analysis of Safety Data of Four Treatment Regimens in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The study compared the safety of four different DMARD treatment regimens in 141 early rheumatoid arthritis patients over one year. The regimens included methotrexate (MTX), MTX plus prednisolone (MTX-P), MTX-P plus methylprednisolone (MTX-P-MP), and leflunomide (LEF). Side effects were similar across groups, with 9 patients in each group experiencing adverse effects. Serious side effects leading to treatment discontinuation were most common in the LEF group. The MTX-P group had no treatment withdrawals. Most side effects were moderate or minimal, with common issues including elevation of transaminases and hair loss.