Table 2 Baseline characteristics of patients included in the study according to clinical response.
| Responders (n = 83) | Non‐responders (n = 43) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 58.35 (48.02–65.55) | 62.75 (50.5–69.7) | 0.131 |
| Female/male | 57/26 | 38/5 | 0.017 |
| Disease duration (years) | 7 (4–12.72) | 5.5 (2.62–8.93) | 0.075 |
| Tender joints | 12 (7–21.5) | 17 (9.5–24.5) | 0.106 |
| Swollen joints | 9 (6–12) | 8 (5–15) | 0.457 |
| DAS 28 | 5.7 (5–6.42) | 6.13 (5.32–6.6) | 0.022 |
| HAQ | 1.5 (0.87–1.87) | 1.9 (1.33–2.37) | 0.002 |
| Previous DMARD, n | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 1 |
| Associated DMARD, % | 92.77 (77/83) | 83.72 (36/43) | 0.13 |
| RF (nephelometry), % positive | 83.13 (69/83) | 83.72 (36/43) | 1 |
| Level* | 86 (15–268.4) | 97 (28–338) | 0.769 |
| IgM RF, % positive | 78.31 (65/83) | 83.72 (36/43) | 0.638 |
| Level* | 41.5 (22.1–120) | 67.6 (32.9–295) | 0.035 |
| IgA RF, % positive | 61.44 (51/83) | 69.76 (30/43) | 0.434 |
| Level* | 24.8 (10.2–90.8) | 130.4 (13.8–276.7) | 0.003 |
| IgG RF, % positive | 57.83 (48/83) | 69.76 (30/43) | 0.246 |
| Level* | 24.3 (7.2–94.9) | 46.1 (13.2–210.6) | 0.057 |
| Anti‐CCP, % positive | 72.28 (60/83) | 81.39 (35/43) | 0.285 |
| Level* | 25.27 (2.93–74.27) | 35.28 (7.32–114.99) | 0.233 |
Anti‐CCP, anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; DAS 28, disease activity score including 28 joint counts; DMARD, disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug; RF, rheumatoid factor.
The values of continuous variables are expressed as median and interquartile range.
*The negative RF samples were included and counted with the measured values.