Management Strategies to Facilitate Optimal Outcomes for Patients Treated with Delayed-release Dimethyl Fumarate

Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate is an oral disease-modifying therapy that has demonstrated significant efficacy in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Incidences of flushing and gastrointestinal adverse events are common in the first month after delayed-release dimethyl fumarate initiation. Our objective was to propose mitigation strategies for adverse events related to initiation of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis. Studies of individually developed mitigation strategies and chart reviews were evaluated. Those results, as well as mitigation protocols developed at multiple sclerosis care centers, are summarized. Key steps to optimize the effectiveness of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate treatment include education prior to and at the time of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate initiation, initiation dose protocol gradually increasing to maintenance dose, dietary suggestions for co-administration with food, gastrointestinal symptom management with over-the-counter medications, flushing symptom management with aspirin, and temporary dose reduction. Using the available evidence from clinical trials and evaluations of post-marketing studies, these strategies to manage gastrointestinal and flushing symptoms can be effective and helpful to the patient when initiating delayed-release dimethyl fumarate.