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Table 4 Frequency and severity of side effects among current users

From: The real-world patient experience of fingolimod and dimethyl fumarate for multiple sclerosis

Side effect

Ever experienced while on current medication, N (%)

Experienced in last 7 days, N (%)

Mean number of days experienced in last 7 days, mean (SD)

Mean severity rating in last 7 days, mean (SD) (1–10 scale)a

CF (N = 61)

CDMF (N = 129)

Current fingolimod (CF) ever experienced side effect while on current medication

Current dimethyl fumarate (CDMF) ever experienced side effect while on current medication

Current fingolimod (CF) experienced side effect in last 7 days

Current dimethyl fumarate (CDMF) experienced side effect in last 7 days

Current fingolimod (CF) experienced side effect in last 7 days

Current dimethyl fumarate (CDMF) experienced side effect in last 7 days

Abdominal pain

2 (3.3 %)

48 (37.2 %)

1/2 (50.0 %)

18/48 (37.5 %)

7.0 (NA) n = 1

3.3 (2.1) n = 18

4.0 (NA) n = 1

4.8 (2.0) n = 18

Back pain

5 (8.2 %)

11 (8.5 %)

2/5(40.0 %)

4/11 (36.4 %)

5.0 (2.8) n = 2

6.5 (1.0) n = 4

5.0 (0.0) n = 2

5.8 (2.8) n = 4

Cough

6 (9.8 %)

17 (13.2 %)

3/6 (50.0 %)

11/17 (64.7 %)

5.7 (1.2) n = 3

4.9 (2.3) n = 11

3.3 (2.1) n = 3

4.3 (1.8) n = 11

Diarrhea

10 (16.4 %)

40 (31.0 %)

4/10 (40.0 %)

16/40 (40.0 %)

4.3 (2.2) n = 4

3.8 (1.9) n = 16

5.8 (1.9) n = 4

5.6 (2.3) n = 16

Flushing

12 (19.7 %)

99 (76.7 %)

6/12 (50.0 %)

54/99 (54.5 %)

4.7 (2.6) n = 6

4.1 (2.3) n = 54

5.2 (1.7) n = 6

5.0 (2.9) n = 54

Headache

18 (29.5 %)

34 (26.4 %)

9/18 (50.0 %)

14/34 (41.2 %)

4.4 (2.1) n = 9

4.5 (2.1) n = 14

5.3 (2.9) n = 9

5.1 (2.6) n = 14

Flu-like symptoms

2 (3.3 %)

15 (11.6 %)

1/2 (50.0 %)

5/15 (33.3 %)

5.0 (NA) n = 1

2.2 (1.3) n = 5

6.0 (NA) n = 1

3.2 (3.2) n = 5

Nausea

8 (13.1 %)

44 (34.1 %)

1/8 (12.5 %)

22/44 (50.0 %)

4.0 (NA) n = 1

2.9 (1.5) n = 22

8.0 (NA) n = 1

4.4 (2.0) n = 1

Vomiting

4 (6.6 %)

11 (8.5 %)

1/4 (25.0 %)

2/11 (18.2 %)

2.0 (NA) n = 1

1.5 (0.7) n = 2

6.0 (NA) n = 1

7.5 (0.7) n = 2

  1. aSeverity rated on a 1–10 scale with 1 being very mild and 10 as bad as one can imagine