Table 2 Baseline characteristics of study patients (n = 223).

Variable	Mean	SD	Median	Q1	Q3
Age (years)	51.45	13.02	50.92	41.95	61.66
Sex (% female)	78.50
Rheumatoid factor (IU/ml)	372.06	527.66	197.00	92.00	449.00
Disease duration (months)	6.09	3.42	5.46	3.42	8.29
Swollen joint count (28)	12.95	7.16	12.00	7.00	19.00
Tender joint count (28)	13.37	7.67	12.00	8.00	20.00
ESR (0–100) (mm/h)	41.54	24.75	37.00	25.00	55.00
C‐reactive protein (mg/dl)	2.71	3.50	1.40	5.00	3.50
MD global (0–100 mm)	49.51	20.74	50.00	31.50	65.00
Patient global (0–100 mm)	43.12	23.60	43.29	19.98	63.27
Pain VAS (0–100 mm) from MD office	60.56	27.41	65.00	45.00	83.00
HAQ (0–3)	1.21	0.71	1.25	0.75	1.63
Ritchie Articular Index (0–78)	17.81	10.12	16.00	11.00	23.00
Swollen joint count (44)	18.7	9.89	17	12	24
Joint space narrowing score	4.22	6.08	2.00	0.50	6.00
Erosion score	2.11	3.80	0.75	0.17	2.50
Total Sharp score*	6.33	8.45	3.58	1.25	8.50
Patient global VAS (0–100 mm) from MD office	61.05	26.42	62.50	43.00	84.00
DAS44/ESR‐4 item	4.92	1.24	4.67	3.98	5.85
DAS44/ESR‐3 item	4.73	1.18	4.55	3.83	5.67
DAS44/CRP‐4 item	4.71	1.28	4.48	3.86	5.65
DAS44/CRP‐3 item	4.51	1.21	4.31	3.65	5.37
DAS28/ESR 4 item	6.12	1.20	6.10	5.28	6.97
DAS28/ESR‐3 item	5.85	1.15	5.99	5.08	6.65
DAS28/CRP‐4 item	5.56	1.19	5.51	4.79	6.44
DAS28/CRP‐3 item	5.35	1.14	5.46	4.62	6.08
SDAI	39.20	16.98	36.88	27.7	50.58
CDAI (0–76)	36.47	15.85	33.6	24.8	46.60

CDAI, Clinical Disease Activity Index; CRP, C‐reactive protein; DAS, Disease Activity Score; ESR, Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; MD global, physician global assessment; Patient global, patient global assessment; SDAI, Simplified Disease Activity Index; VAS, visual analogue scale.

*The total sharp score = erosion score+joint space narrowing score.²⁵