DMF was associated with improvements in treatment satisfaction, quality of life, sleep quality, work productivity, and depressive symptoms in both treatment-naïve and previously treated RRMS patients, with high adherence and manageable side effects.
Treatment satisfaction improved significantly across all TSQM-14 domains among previously treated RRMS patients switching to DMF over 12 months.
Health-related quality of life improved significantly from baseline to 12 months as measured by EQ-5D-3L.
Sleep quality improved significantly over the 12-month DMF treatment period.
Work productivity impairment (absenteeism) improved significantly over 12 months of DMF treatment.
Depressive symptoms showed a statistically significant improvement over 12 months of DMF treatment.
A substantial proportion of patients discontinued DMF within 12 months, primarily due to gastrointestinal adverse events.
Adverse events declined over time during the 12-month DMF treatment period, supporting a manageable safety profile.
The PROFIT study enrolled a predominantly young, female Iranian RRMS population in a real-world observational setting.
This research examined how a multiple sclerosis (MS) drug called dimethyl fumarate (DMF), sold under names like Tecfidera, affected patients' daily lives over one year in Iran. Rather than just measuring clinical outcomes like relapse rates, the study focused on how patients themselves felt about their treatment — including their satisfaction with the medication, quality of life, mood, sleep, and ability to work. Over 640 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (the most common form) participated, either starting DMF for the first time or switching to it from older injectable medications. This research suggests that taking DMF for 12 months was associated with meaningful improvements across all of these patient-reported measures. Patients reported higher satisfaction with their treatment, better quality of life, improved sleep, fewer days missed from work, and a slight reduction in depressive symptoms. These improvements were statistically significant across all measures. About 73% of patients completed the full 12-month study, while roughly 27% stopped early — most commonly due to gastrointestinal side effects like nausea or flushing, though the frequency of these side effects decreased over time, particularly when the dose was increased gradually at the start of treatment. This study matters because it provides real-world evidence — not just controlled trial data — that DMF can improve multiple dimensions of patients' lives beyond simply reducing MS relapses. The findings are particularly relevant for understanding how this oral medication compares to older injectable therapies in terms of patient experience. The results from this Iranian cohort add to the global evidence base and suggest that DMF may be a well-tolerated, patient-centered treatment option for people with relapsing-remitting MS.
Abolfazli R, Sahraian M, Shaygannejad V, Ashtari F, Shahmohammadi S, Poursadeghfard M, et al.. (2026). Longitudinal effects of dimethyl fumarate on patient-reported outcome measures in multiple sclerosis: treatment satisfaction, quality of life, depressive symptoms, sleep, and work productivity.. Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2026.111877