Table 2.
Treatment characteristics and disease activity measures at baseline and at the infusion reaction in patients with RA and SpAs
| Number | At treatment initiation | At infusion reaction | ||
| RA (n = 213) | SpA (n = 76) | RA (n = 45) | SpA (n = 10) | |
| Drug treatments | ||||
| Infliximab monotherapy | 46 (21.6%) | 31 (40.8%) | 22 (48.9%) | 7 (70%) |
| Methotrexate | 129 (60.6%) | 35 (46.1%) | 17 (37.8%) | 2 (20%) |
| Sulphasalazine | 33 (15.5%) | 6 (7.9%) | 5 (11.1%) | 0 |
| Azathioprine | 10 (4.7%) | 3 (3.9%) | 1 (2.2%) | 0 |
| Other DMARDs | 30 (14.1%) | 4 (5.3%) | 4 (8.9%) | 1 (10%) |
| Prednisolone | 155 (72.8%) | 30 (39.5%) | 38 (84.4) | 6 (60%) |
| Dosages | ||||
| Methotrexate (mg/week) | 17.3 ± 5.2 | 15.6 ± 6.8 | 15.4 ± 6.1 | 16.2 ± 12.4 |
| Sulphasalazine (g/week) | 13.5 ± 2.3 | 15.2 ± 2.9 | 15.4 ± 3.1 | None |
| Azathioprine (mg/week) | 745.5 ± 432.1 | 758.3 ± 101.0 | 700 | None |
| Prednisolone (mg/week) | 43.2 ± 37.8 | 20.5 ± 28.9 | 33.4 ± 29.0 | 11.7 ± 18.0 |
| Disease activity measures | ||||
| DAS-28 | 5.4 ± 1.3 | - | 5.0 ± 1.6 | - |
| HAQ | 1.4 ± 0.6 | 1.1 ± 0.6 | 1.3 ± 0.6 | 1.1 ± 0.8 |
| CRP | 30.9 ± 33.4 | 21.7 ± 26.2 | 25.5 ± 26.3 | 14.4 ± 16.9 |
| ESR | 36.8 ± 27.2 | 27.4 ± 23.0 | 37.8 ± 25.5 | 29.2 ± 32.1 |
| VASpain (0–100) | 61.7 ± 22.2 | 61.4 ± 19.7 | 48.3 ± 25.7 | 55.9 ± 32.3 |
| VASglobal (0–100) | 63.4 ± 21.6 | 63.4 ± 19.7 | 52.5 ± 25.4 | 56.3 ± 33.6 |
| Evaglobal (0–5) | 2.3 ± 0.6 | 1.8 ± 0.7 | 1.9 ± 0.9 | 1.8 ± 0.6 |
| TJC (0–28) | 8.7 ± 7.3 | 5.9 ± 6.9 | 7.9 ± 7.8 | 6.6 ± 8.3 |
| SJC (0–28) | 8.9 ± 6.0 | 3.0 ± 4.1 | 6.9 ± 6.0 | 3.3 ± 5.4 |
Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation or as number (%). CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS-28, Disease Activity Score (using 28 tender and 28 swollen joint count); DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Evaglobal, physicians global assessment; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SJC, swollen joint count; SpA, spondylarthropathy; TJC, tender joint count; VASpain, patient's assessment of pain; VASglobal, patient's global assessment.