Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active rheumatoid arthritis as a “disease-modifying antirheumatic drug” (DMARD).
Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.
Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.
For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:
Oral
10 - 100 mg
From 10 To 100 mg once every day
100 mg
Leflunomide therapy is usually started with a loading dose of 100 mg once daily for 3 days. Omission of the loading dose may decrease the risk of adverse events.
The recommended maintenance dose is leflunomide 10 mg to 20 mg once daily depending on the severity (activity) of the disease.
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