ArticleMultiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)2020
Characterizing lymphocyte counts and infection rates with long-term teriflunomide treatment: Pooled analysis of clinical trials.
Article in Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Infections in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with disease-modifying therapies: A comparative risk assessment cohort study.Current journal of neurology · 2025Article
- Advancements in Hematologic Malignancy Detection: A Comprehensive Survey of Methodologies and Emerging Trends.TheScientificWorldJournal · 2025Review
- Drugs Used in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Critical Viewpoint.Current neuropharmacology · 2022Article
- Association of Disease-Modifying Therapies with COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Multiple sclerosis international · 2022Review
- Review
- Effects of disease-modifying therapy on peripheral leukocytes in patients with multiple sclerosis.Journal of neurology · 2021Review
- Neurological immunotherapy in the era of COVID-19 - looking for consensus in the literature.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2020Review
- The underpinning biology relating to multiple sclerosis disease modifying treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.Multiple sclerosis and related disorders · 2020Review
- Merits and culprits of immunotherapies for neurological diseases in times of COVID-19.EBioMedicine · 2020Review
- Managing Disease-Modifying Therapies and Breakthrough Activity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Toward an Optimized Approach.Therapeutics and clinical risk management · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn Phase 3 studies, teriflunomide reduced relapse rates and disability progression compared with placebo; however, decreases in lymphocyte counts were also observed.
objectiveTo describe the effect of long-term teriflunomide treatment on lymphocyte counts and infection rates among patients in pooled analyses of Phase 3 core and extension studies.
methodsFour randomized trials (TEMSO, TOWER, TENERE, and TOPIC) compared teriflunomide 7 mg or 14 mg treatment with either placebo and/or subcutaneous interferon (IFN) β-1a 44 µg in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) (or first clinical episode suggestive of MS in TOPIC).
resultsIn 1895, patients ever exposed to teriflunomide, mean (standard deviation) absolute lymphocyte counts declined from Week 0 (1.89 (0.59)) to Week 24 (1.67 (0.52)) and then remained stable thereafter. In the core plus extension studies (up to 10.7 years), 7.3% and 2.2% experienced Grade 1 and Grade 2 lymphopenia, respectively. Infections were reported in 56.9% of patients without lymphopenia, 60.9% with Grade 1 lymphopenia, and 54.8% with Grade 2 lymphopenia. Serious infections occurred in 3.7%, 4.3%, and 7.1%, respectively.
conclusionLong-term risk of lymphopenia and infections in patients who continue to receive teriflunomide is low, demonstrating a limited impact on adaptive and innate immunity.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.