Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients
| Variables | Total (n = 167) |
Previous biologics | Concomitant MTX | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (+) (n = 49) |
(−) (n = 118) |
P value | (+) (n = 143) |
(−) (n = 24) |
P value | ||
| Age (years) | 58.4 ± 13.0 | 55.1 ± 11.5 | 59.7 ± 13.4 | <0.05 | 58.2 ± 12.9 | 59.1 ± 14.1 | 0.5560 |
| Gender, n (% female) | 138 (82.6) | 43 (87.8) | 95 (80.5) | 0.2603 | 118 (82.5) | 20 (83.3) | 0.9222 |
| Disease duration (years) | 9.0 ± 9.5 | 9.9 ± 8.1 | 8.7 ± 10.0 | <0.05 | 8.6 ± 9.5 | 11.8 ± 8.9 | <0.05 |
| Stage (I/II/III/IV %) | (15.0/33.5/18.6/32.9) | (10.2/24.5/16.3/49.0) | (16.9/37.3/19.5/26.3) | <0.05 | (16.1/34.3/18.9/30.8) | (8.3/29.2/16.7/45.8) | 0.4836 |
| Class (I/II/III/IV %) | (11.4/74.3/14.4/0.0) | (12.2/69.4/18.4/0.0) | (11.0/76.3/12.7/0.0) | 0.5953 | (11.2/72.7/16.1/0.0) | (12.5/83.3/4.2/0.0) | 0.3052 |
| Prior use of biologics, n (%) | 49 (29.3) | 49 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | – | 39 (27.3) | 10 (41.7) | 0.1518 |
| RF positive, n (%) | 158 (94.6) | 46 (93.9) | 112 (94.9) | 0.7868 | 136 (95.1) | 22 (91.7) | 0.4900 |
| MTX use, n (%) | 143 (85.6) | 39 (79.6) | 104 (88.1) | 0.1518 | 143 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | – |
| MTX dose (mg/week) | 8.5 ± 2.9 | 9.9 ± 8.1 | 8.1 ± 3.0 | 0.2153 | 8.5 ± 2.9 | 0.0 ± 0.0 | – |
| Oral steroid use, n (%) | 69 (41.3) | 26 (53.1) | 43 (36.4) | <0.05 | 54 (37.8) | 15 (62.5) | <0.05 |
| Oral steroid dose (mg/daya) | 4.8 ± 2.7 | 5.7 ± 2.6 | 4.2 ± 2.6 | <0.05 | 4.7 ± 2.6 | 4.9 ± 3.1 | 0.9590 |
| MMP-3 (ng/mLb) | 297.6 ± 344.3 | 292.4 ± 250.7 | 299.8 ± 377.5 | 0.2757 | 312.3 ± 366.1 | 208.1 ± 127.9 | 0.7895 |
| SJC, 0-28 | 6.5 ± 5.6 | 6.2 ± 6.2 | 6.6 ± 5.4 | 0.2307 | 6.3 ± 4.9 | 7.6 ± 8.8 | 0.6004 |
| TJC, 0-28 | 7.3 ± 6.9 | 6.7 ± 6.8 | 7.6 ± 6.9 | 0.3585 | 7.4 ± 6.5 | 7.2 ± 9.1 | 0.1809 |
| ESR (mm/h) | 54.0 ± 31.3 | 54.4 ± 28.8 | 53.8 ± 32.4 | 0.7544 | 54.0 ± 31.4 | 53.6 ± 31.2 | 0.9582 |
| CRP (mg/dL) | 2.8 ± 3.9 | 2.9 ± 3.4 | 2.8 ± 4.1 | 0.4068 | 2.9 ± 4.1 | 2.3 ± 2.5 | 0.7391 |
| GH, VAS 0–100 mm | 50.7 ± 25.1 | 56.2 ± 24.5 | 48.4 ± 25.1 | 0.0932 | 49.6 ± 25.1 | 57.3 ± 25.1 | 0.1192 |
| DAS28-ESR | 5.3 ± 1.3 | 5.3 ± 1.2 | 5.3 ± 1.3 | 0.8398 | 5.3 ± 1.3 | 5.2 ± 1.5 | 0.6598 |
| HAQ-DIc | 1.24 ± 0.78 | 1.24 ± 0.85 | 1.25 ± 0.76 | 0.8833 | 1.24 ± 0.78 | 1.27 ± 0.84 | 0.8360 |
| TSSd | 89.7 ± 83.1 | 98.8 ± 66.0 | 87.9 ± 86.6 | 0.2757 | 88.9 ± 80.5 | 98.3 ± 112.5 | 0.6648 |
| Median (IQR) | 65.5 (36.0–115.0) | 73.5 (52.5–141.5) | 65.3 (32.6–109.6) | 66.5 (39.8–113.3) | 44.3 (22.0–153.5) | ||
| Estimated YP (∆TSS)d | 27.1 ± 46.0 | 18.3 ± 10.7 | 28.9 ± 50.2 | 0.2795 | 28.7 ± 48.0 | 11.1 ± 7.1 | 0.1542 |
| Median (IQR) | 13.6 (8.3–28.9) | 14.0 (11.2–26.5) | 13.2 (7.9–31.0) | 14.0 (8.5–30.9) | 10.2 (7.1–14.4) | ||
Mean ± SD unless otherwise indicated
Demographic and baseline characteristics were analyzed by the Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables and Pearson’s chi-square test for discrete variables for previous biologics (+) versus (−) and concomitant MTX (+) versus (−)
RF rheumatoid factor, MTX, methotrexate, MMP-3 matrix metalloproteinase 3, SJC swollen joint count, TJC tender joint count, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP C-reactive protein, GH patient’s global assessment of disease activity, VAS visual analogue scale, DAS disease activity score, HAQ-DI health assessment questionnaire disability index, TSS total Sharp score, YP yearly progression, IQR interquartile range
aPrednisolone equivalents
bTotal n = 163; previous biologics (+) n = 48; previous biologics (−) n = 115; concomitant MTX (+) n = 140; concomitant MTX (−) n = 23
cTotal n = 149; previous biologics (+) n = 41; previous biologics (−) n = 108; concomitant MTX (+) n = 131; concomitant MTX (−) n = 18
dTotal n = 87; previous biologics (+) n = 15; previous biologics (−) n = 72; concomitant MTX (+) n = 79; concomitant MTX (−) n = 8