Table 1.
Baseline demographic and disease characteristics*
| Group A (n = 49) (MTX treatment) % v. mean (SD) | Group B (n = 35) (anti-TNF + MTX treatment) % v. mean (SD) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, (mean ± S.D.) |
60.1 (13.7) |
54.7 (15) |
| Women, n (%) |
42 (85.7%) |
28 (80%) |
| Disease duration, (month) |
7.9 (2) |
8.5 (1.2) |
| IgM RF positive, n (%) |
34 (69.4%) |
22 (62.9%) |
| Anti-CCP positive, n (%) |
37 (75.5%) |
26 (74.3%) |
| DAS28ESR , mean ± S.D. |
6.1 (0.9) |
6.4 (0.9) |
| CDAI, mean ± S.D. |
36.2 (11.5) |
33.6 (12.7) |
| Tender joint count, mean ± S.D. |
13.1 (6.5) |
14 (7.2) |
| Swollen joint count, mean ± S.D. |
7.5 (5.9) |
9.4 (5.2) |
| Patient global assessment (VAS 0–100), mean ± S.D. |
65 (17.9) |
64.3 (18.3) |
| ESR, mean ± S.D. |
43.7 (22.4) |
46.9 (33.5) |
| CRP, mean ± S.D. |
27.5 (28.4) |
40.3 (46.9) |
| HAQ-DI (0–3), mean ± S.D. | 1.4 (0.7) | 1.6 (0.7) |
*There were no statistically significant differences in any demographic or baseline characteristics between the groups, by Mann–Whitney test for continuous variables and chi-square test for dichotomous variables; statistical significance was set as p < 0.05.
(RF: rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP: anti-cyclic citrullinated protein, DAS28ESR: disease activity score based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CDAI: clinical disease activity index, VAS: visual analogue scale, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP: C-reactive protein, HAQ-DI: Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index, vdHS: van der Heijde modified Sharp score).