TABLE 1.

Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, patients with osteoarthritis and healthy controls.

Variables	RA (n = 32)	OA (n = 46)	Normal (n = 30)
Sex (Male/female)	2/30	9/37	3/27
Age (years)	62.5 ± 5.5	67.3 ± 5.2	63.7 ± 5.3
Duration of disease (years)	11.4 ± 6.4	9.6 ± 4.5
CRP (mg/L)	24.0 ± 22.0	3.9 ± 2.7*	3.3 ± 2.6*
ESR (mm/h)	37.4 ± 29.1	13.5 ± 7.5*	10.2 ± 3.9*
RF (IU/ml)	42.5 ± 31.2
DAS28‐ESR	3.3 ± 0.9

Note: Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD); *p<0.05 vs. RA group.

Abbreviations: CRP, c‐reactive protein; DAS28‐ESR, disease Activity Score in 28 joints‐erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; OA, osteoarthritis; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor.