Oral disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region: an overview.

This article reviews the salient features about the mode of action, efficacy, safety and tolerability profile of approved oral DMTs in RRMS and reviews their place in clinical algorithms in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. We conducted a systematic review using a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (period January 1, 1995 thru January 31, 2018). Additional searches of American Academy of Neurology and European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis abstracts from 2012 thru 2017 were performed, in addition to searches of the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency websites to obtain relevant safety information on these DMTs. Four oral DMTs: fingolimod, teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate and cladribine have been approved by the regulatory agencies. Based on number needed to treat (NNT), the potential role of these DMTs in the management of active and highly active or rapidly evolving RRMS is assessed. Finally, the place of the oral DMTs in clinical algorithms in the MENA region is reviewed. PMID: 29764226 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Medical Research and Opinion - Category: Research Tags: Curr Med Res Opin Source Type: research