Table 1.
Treatment and disease characteristics during the follow-up (N=14)
| Week 0 | Week 2 | Week 4 | Week 8 | Week 12 | Week 16 | Week 20 | Week 24 | Week 48 | |
| PMR-AS | 50.9 (25) | 4.0 (2.6–11.3)* | 4.3 (3.8)* | 4.4 (3.2)* | 2.2 (1.1)* | 1.3 (0.6–2.8)* | 2.2 (1.9)* | 2.1 (1.4)* | 1.9 (1.5)* |
| VAS-pain | 71.8 (16) | 30 (15.6)* | 19.3 (14.9)* | 11.5 (9.1)* | 11.4 (9.9)* | 7.9 (7.7)* | 2.5 (0–10)* | 5 (0–17.5)* | 0 (0–0)* |
| MST (min) | 55.9 (14.9) | 0 (0–0)* | 0 (0–0)* | 0 (0)* | 0 (0)* | 0 (0)* | 0 (0)* | 0 (0)* | 0 (0)* |
| EUL=0, N (%) | 4 (28.6) | 12 (85.7)† | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* |
| PtGA | 7.5 (1.9) | 2.5 (1.2)* | 1.8 (1.4)* | 1.0 (0–2)* | 1.1 (1)* | 1 (0–1.8)* | 0.5 (0–1)* | 0.5 (0–1)* | 0 (0–1)* |
| PhGA | 7.1 (1.3) | 2.5 (1.2)* | 1.6 (1.3)* | 1.0 (0.9)* | 1.1 (0.9)* | 1 (0–1)* | 0.5 (0–1)* | 0 (0–1)* | 0 (0–1)* |
| ESR (mm/hour)‡ | 66.0 (26.6) | 26.9 (19.4)* | 10.7 (7)* | 15.4 (11.9)* | 11.4 (5.7)* | 12.3 (10.4)* | 13.2 (10.1)* | 11.9 (7.4)* | 11.4 (7.4)* |
| CRP (mg/L) | 36.5 (26.1) | 2 (0.8–9)† | 0.9 (0.5–5)† | 3.4 (3.2)† | 1.1 (0.8)* | 0.7 (0.5–1)* | 0.7 (0.5–1.5)* | 0.8 (0.5–2.5)* | 0.5 (0.5–1)* |
| LDA, N (%) | 0 | 9 (64.3)† | 9 (64.3)† | 11 (78.6)* | 14 (100)* | 13 (92.9)* | 13 (92.9)* | 14 (100)* | 14 (100)* |
| GC (mg/day) | 15 (0) | 10 (0)* | 11.2 (1.2)* | 7.9 (1.9)* | 5.7 (11.7)* | 3.8 (1.2)* | 2.2 (0.7)* | 2.2 (1.1)* | 1.3 (1.2)* |
| Discontinuation, N (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 (42.9%)† |
| Tofacitinib (mg/day) | 10 (0) | 10 (0) | 10 (0) | 10 (0) | 10 (0) | 10 (0) | 9.6 (1.3) | 9.6 (1.3) | 5.7 (3.7)† |
| Discontinuation, N (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (21.4) |
| MHAQ | 3 (1–3) | 0.4 (0.2–0.8)* | 0.3 (0.1–0.4)* | 0.3 (0–0.5)* | 0.3 (0–0.3)* | 0.1 (0–0.3)* | 0.1 (0–0.3)* | 0 (0–0.3)* | 0 (0–0.2)* |
| EQ-5D | 0.3 (0.2) | 0.7 (0.1)* | 0.7 (0.1)* | 0.8 (0.1)* | 0.8 (0.1)* | 0.8 (0.1)* | 0.9 (0.1)* | 0.9 (0.1)* | 0.9 (0.1)* |
Data are mean (SD) or median (IQR), unless stated otherwise. Significant differences were compared between the visit point and week 0.
*P<0.001.
†P<0.05.
‡The upper limit of normal value of ESR was 20 mm/hour and/or 8 mg/L for CRP.
CRP, C reactive protein; EQ-5D, EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; EUL, elevation of upper limbs; GC, glucocorticoid; LDA, low disease activity; MHAQ, Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire; MST, morning stiffness; PhGA, Physician’s Global Assessment of VAS for disease activity; PMR-AS, Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity Scale; PtGA, Patient’s Global Assessment of VAS for disease activity; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.