Table 2.
Secondary outcomes. Intragroup changes of selected clinical variables.
| Variable | Baseline | 12 months | P | 24 months | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMARDs group (n = 20) | |||||
| BASDAI, units∗ | 5 (3–8.0) | 3 (1–6) | <0.001 | 1 (0–3) | <0.001 |
| BASFI, units∗ | 6 (3–7) | 3 (1–5) | <0.001 | 1 (0–3) | <0.001 |
| Post-6MWT Borg scale∗ | 2.2 (0–4.6) | 1.0 (0–3.8) | 0.001 | 0.5 (0–2.1) | 0.003 |
| 6MWT, m∗ | 282 (235–386) | 308 (280–425) | <0.001 | 334 (307–440) | <0.001 |
| Total SGRQ%∗ | 37 (3–58) | 9 (0–53) | <0.001 | 0 (0–20) | 0.003 |
| anti-TNF + DMARDs group (n = 16) | |||||
| BASDAI, units∗ | 5 (4–8) | 2 (1–5) | <0.001 | 0 (0-1) | <0.001 |
| BASFI, units∗ | 5 (3–8) | 2 (1.0–4.3) | <0.001 | 1 (0-1) | <0.001 |
| Post-6MWT Borg scale∗ | 2.2 (0–4.1) | 1.3 (0–3) | 0.001 | 0.5 (0–1.1) | 0.002 |
| 6MWT, m∗ | 322 (230–380) | 368 (280–440) | <0.001 | 400 (315–460) | <0.001 |
| Total SGRQ%∗ | 29 (3–58) | 7 (0–34) | 0.001 | 0 (0–4) | 0.011 |
DMARDs group, group receiving disease modifying antirheumatic drugs; anti-TNF + DMARDs group, group receiving antitumor necrosis factor agents + DMARDs; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functioning Index; 6MWT, six-minute walk test; SGRQ, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire. Quantitative variables are presented as medians (and ranges); qualitative variables are presented in number (%). P values were obtained using Wilcoxon test comparing responses at 12 and 24 months with the baseline. ∗Significant difference with two-factor ANOVA Friedman test P < 0.001.