Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the 256 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
| All RA patients (n = 256) |
Anti-CII-negative RA patients (n = 248) |
Anti-CII positive (> 200 AU/ml) RA patients (n = 8) |
P Mann Whitney/chi square | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at inclusion (years) | 56 | 56 | 68 | NS (0.17) |
| Female (%: number/total number) | 71.5 (183/256) |
71.4 (177/248) |
75.0 (6/8) | NS (0.82) |
| Disease duration at inclusion (months) | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | NS (0.32) |
| RF-positive, (%; number positive/total number) | 63.3 (162/256) |
62.9 (158/248) | 50.0 (4/8) | NS (0.43) |
| Anti-CCP2- positive, (%;number positive/total number) | 57.8 (148/256) |
58.5 (145/248) |
37.5 (3/8) |
NS (0.24) |
| Anti-MCV- positive (2 patients missing) | 70.9 (180/254) |
71.1 (175/246) |
62.5 (5/8) | NS (0.60) |
| CRP (mg/l) | 14 | 14 | 37 | 0.0026 |
| ESR (mm/h) | 22.0 | 21.5 | 40.5 | 0.0396 |
| Physician's assessment of disease activity (0-4) | 2 | 2 | 2 | NS (0.28) |
| Number of swollen joints | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 | NS (0.82) |
| Number of tender joints | 7 | 7 | 8 | NS (0.46) |
| DAS28 | 5.005 | 4.990 | 5.760 | NS (0.08) |
| Global VAS | 45 | 45 | 40 | NS (0.93) |
| Pain VAS | 45 | 45 | 35 | NS (0.39) |
| HAQ | 0.880 | 0.880 | 1.500 | 0.0303 |
| Patients starting DMARD therapy at baseline (%) | 83.6 (214/256) |
83.5 (207/248) | 87.5 (7/8) |
NS (0.76) |
Results are presented as medians and percentages (ratios). Differences between anti-native human collagen type II (anti-CII)-negative and anti-CII-positive patients were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test; differences between proportions were analyzed using the Chi square test or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Anti-CCP, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; Anti-MCV, antibodies against modified citrullinated vimentin; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28, 28-joint disease activity score; VAS, visual analogue scale; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; DMARD, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; NS, not significant.