Improved functional ability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis--longterm treatment with leflunomide versus sulfasalazine. European Leflunomide Study Group

We previously reported that the new disease modifying antirheumatic drug leflunomide resulted in significant improvement in functional ability compared with placebo and sulfasalazine in a 6 month double blind, randomized, Phase III trial in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study compared functional disability in cohorts of patients with RA from the initial study who volunteered to continue treatment with leflunomide or sulfasalazine.