Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40347230›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neurology2025

Safety and efficacy of teriflunomide on clinical course, and laboratory findings in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: a triple-blind study.

Neda Ghadiri Jozan, Zohreh Vahidi, Houshang Rafatpanah, Reza Boostani, Fariba Zemorshidi, Mohammadali Sahraian, Jamshid Tabeshpour, Mahdieh Baghaei, Mohammadali Nahayati

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Neda Ghadiri JozanDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Zohreh VahidiInflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Division, Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Houshang RafatpanahInflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Division, Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Reza BoostaniDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Fariba ZemorshidiDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohammadali SahraianMultiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Jamshid TabeshpourDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran.
Mahdieh BaghaeiDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohammadali NahayatiDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. nahayatim.aa@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8373-6053

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Teriflunomide is an oral agent developed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) by suppressing the proliferation of autoreactive lymphocytes. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of teriflunomide in HAM/TSP patients in Northeast Iran.

methodsThis study was a triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 22 patients with HAM/TSP. The intervention group (n = 11) received one tablet of teriflunomide (14 mg daily), while the control group (n = 11) received one placebo tablet for 12 months. Muscle strength, spasticity, motor disability, urinary disorders, walking speed, laboratory factors, and drug complications were examined during the study.

resultsIn the intervention group, consumption of teriflunomide decreased the duration of walking according to the T25FW test (p = 0.01). The severity of OMDS disability also significantly decreased (P < 0.001). Additionally, the total score of UDS in the intervention group decreased. The levels of HTLV-1 proviral load significantly decreased (p = 0.003). No adverse effects were observed, and the increase in liver enzyme levels was tolerable and controllable.

conclusionsTeriflunomide effectively reduced the proviral load, improved the severity of disability and walking speed, and better controlled urinary and constipation symptoms without any adverse effects. Therefore, teriflunomide can be considered a disease-modifying therapy for patients with HAM/TSP. However, further studies with a large number of patients and longer duration, along with the determination of specific HAM/TSP-associated biomarkers, are needed to validate the results of the present study.

trial registrationIRCT20180618040127N3; November 19, 2021.

Indexed as

CrotonatesParaparesis, Tropical SpasticToluidinesAdultFemaleHumansHydroxybutyratesMaleMiddle AgedNitrilesTreatment OutcomeCrotonatesHydroxybutyratesNitrilesteriflunomideToluidinesHAM/TSPHTLV-1Multiple sclerosisMuscle strengthSpasticityTeriflunomide

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.