Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study population stratified by study group
| RLC (n=90) | NLC (n=91) | |
|---|---|---|
| Women, n (%) | 67 (74.44) | 67 (73.63) |
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 57.27 (12.20) | 60.20 (11.26) |
| Disease duration, years, mean (SD) (89; 90)* | 10.21 (11.47) | 9.57 (9.84) |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | ||
| Osteoarthritis | 4 (4.44) | 5 (5.49) |
| Osteoporosis | 16 (17.78) | 9 (9.89) |
| Hypertension | 19 (21.11) | 20 (21.98) |
| Asthma | 7 (7.78) | 6 (6.59) |
| Depression | 3 (3.33) | 1 (1.10) |
| Hypothyroidism | 6 (6.67) | 1 (1.10) |
| Baseline RA regimen, n (%) | ||
| Methotrexate | 57 (63.33) | 62 (68.13) |
| Sulfasalazine | 16 (17.78) | 9 (9.89) |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 4 (4.44) | 3 (3.30) |
| Leflunomide | 6 (6.67) | 4 (4.40) |
| Prednisolone | 11 (12.22) | 6 (6.59) |
| Biological DMARD | 6 (6.67) | 15 (16.48) |
| Outcomes, mean (SD) | ||
| DAS28 (86; 88)* | 3.89 (1.54) | 3.65 (1.24) |
| Pain (0–100 VAS, 0=no pain) (86; 87)* | 39.33 (21.26) | 43.29 (23.77) |
| Fatigue (0–100 VAS, 0=no fatigue) (86; 87)* | 49.58 (25.09) | 49.92 (24.50) |
| Stiffness (0 –240 Min, 0=no stiffness) (84; 87)* | 50.50 (63.42) | 43.78 (55.50) |
| RAQoL (0–30, 0=better quality of life) (76; 78)* | 13.54 (7.05) | 13.33 (8.09) |
| HAQ (0–3, 0=no disability) (86; 83)* | 1.25 (0.76) | 1.19 (0.77) |
| Anxiety (0–21, 0=no anxiety) (87; 84)* | 7.56 (4.24) | 7.13 (3.83) |
| Depression (0–21, 0=no depression) (87; 84)* | 6.20 (3.74) | 5.94 (3.84) |
| ASES (11–110, 11=poor self-efficacy) (85; 84)* | 55.53 (17.49) | 59.14 (18.98) |
| Satisfaction, median (IQR) | ||
| LSQ–General (1–5), 1=dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 2.7 (2.3, 3.4) | 2.7 (2.3, 3.7) |
| LSQ–Information (1–5), 1=dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 3.2 (3.0, 3.5) | 3.0 (2.9, 3.7) |
| LSQ–Empathy (1–5), 1=dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 3.1 (3.0, 3.6) | 3.0 (2.9, 3.6) |
| LSQ–Technical (1–5), 1=dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 3.2 (3.0, 4.0) | 3.1 (2.9, 4.0) |
| LSQ–Attitude (1–5), 1=Dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 3.2 (3.0, 3.7) | 3.2 (2.8, 3.8) |
| LSQ–Access (1–5), 1=dissatisfied) (86; 83)* | 3.1 (3.0, 3.6) | 3.1 (3.0, 3.5) |
ASES, arthritis self-efficacy scale; DAS28, disease activity score in 28 joints; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; HAQ: health assessment questionnaire disability index; LSQ, Leeds satisfaction questionnaire; NLC, nurse-led clinic; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RAQoL, rheumatoid arthritis quality of life; RLC, theumatologist-led clinic; VAS, visual analogue scale.
*Number of available data were as per randomised allocation that is, 90 for RLC and 91 for NLC unless otherwise stated in parentheses.