A combination of the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs leflunomide (Arava) and methotrexate significantly improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis compared with methotrexate alone, researchers say. According to the results of a 24-week study of 263 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who received methotrexate and either leflunomide (10mg/day) or placebo, the addition of leflunomide more than doubled response rate. Using an American College of Rheumatology measure of efficacy, the researchers found an improvement of 46.2 per cent for combined leflunomide and methotrexate compared with 19.5 per cent for the methotrexate-only group. Improvements in disability and physical function were also greater in the group that received the combination. The results were presented at the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting in Philadelphia on October 30.