Table 1.
Characteristics of the OA patients included in the study
| Variables | Baseline value (n = 262) | Follow-up value (n = 262) |
|---|---|---|
| Age at baseline, years, mean (s.d.) | 65.4 (10.0) | |
| Female, n (%) | 199 (76.0) | |
| BMI at baseline, kg/m2, mean (s.d.) (n = 49) | 27.7 (4.3) | NR |
| Comorbidities at baseline, n (%) | ||
| Cardiovascular diseases | 129 (49.2) | |
| Respiratory diseases | 70 (26.7) | |
| Diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2) | 37 (14.1) | |
| Cancer | 44 (16.8) | |
| Neurological disorders | 29 (11.1) | |
| Thyroid disorders | 30 (11.5) | |
| Carpal tunnel syndrome | 29 (11.1) | |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 28 (10.7) | |
| Osteoporosis | 29 (11.1) | |
| Clinical presentation at baseline, n (%) | ||
| Swollen joints | 150 (57.3) | NR |
| Limited joint function | 38 (14.5) | NR |
| Nodules | 102 (38.9) | NR |
| Intramuscular MP, n (%) | ||
| 120 mg | 251 (95.8) | |
| 80 mg | 10 (3.8) | |
| 40 mg | 1 (0.4) | |
| High-sensitivity CRP at baseline, mg/l, mean (s.d.) (n = 142) | 4.0 (5.4) | NR |
| ESR at baseline, mm/h, mean (s.d.) (n = 103) | 15.6 (15.7) | NR |
| Radiologic abnormalities congruent to OA diagnosis at baseline, n (%) (n = 184) | 172 (93.5) | |
| Follow-up time, days, median (IQR) | 28 (16–51) | |
| Use of analgesics, n (%) | ||
| Patients using analgesics | 160 (61.1) | 146 (55.7) |
| Paracetamol | 94 (35.9) | 78 (29.8) |
| NSAIDs | 97 (37.0) | 100 (38.2) |
| Opioids | 40 (15.3) | 38 (14.5) |
| Neurogenic painkillers | 13 (5.0) | 11 (4.2) |
NR: not recorded.