Table 3.

Patterns of new DMARD use and co-therapies in RA patients (1998-2005)

	COHORTS
Characteristics	TennCare (n=4383)	KPNC (n=5695)	PACE (2133)	MAX/MED (n=20265)
DMARDs
1. First MTX	1668 (38.1%)	1359 (23.9%)	885 (41.5%)	6741 (33.3%)
2. New MTX	660 (15.1%)	1443 (25.3%)	298 (14.0%)	3686 (18.2%)
3. New HCQ/SSZ	492 (11.2%)	689 (12.1%)	112 (5.3%)	1698 (8.4%)
4. New LEF	407 (9.3%)	745 (13.1%)	176 (8.3%)	1835 (9.1%)
5. New anti-TNF	1156 (26.4%)	1459 (25.6%)	662 (31.0%)	6305 (31.1%)
Co-therapies use the day before DMARD initiation
• Corticosteroids	1373 (31.1%)	1822 (32.0%)	521 (24.4%)	5789 (28.6%)
• NSAIDs	1670 (38.1%)	2010 (35.3%)	675 (31.7%)	7852 (38.8%)
• Narcotics	1424 (32.5%)	872 (15.3%)	349 (16.4%)	6048 (29.8%)

DMARD: disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug; MTX: methotrexate; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; SSZ: sulfasalazine; LEF: leflunomide; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; NSAIDs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs TennCare: Tennessee’s Medicaid program; KPNC: Kaiser Permanente Northern California program; PACE: Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for Elderly program; MAX/MED: Medicaid and/or Medicare program from 49 US states.