Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Characteristics | Strategy I (n = 128) | Strategy II (n = 128) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female, sex n (%) | 79 (61.7%) | 79 (61.7%) | 1.000 |
| Age, mean ± SD years | 59.1 ± 13.0 | 59,5 ± 12.8 | 0.809 |
| DAS28 - ESR, mean ± SD | 4.5 ± 1.1 | 4.8 ± 1.1 | 0.026 |
| ESR (mm/h), median (IQR) | 22.0 (14.0–41.0) | 29.0a (14.0–45.0) | 0.195 |
| CRP (mg/l), median (IQR) | 10.0b (5.0–22.0) | 11.5 (4.3–24.8) | 0.786 |
| Anti-CCP positive, n (%) | 74c (58.3%) | 77c (60.2%) | 0.701 |
| RF positive, n (%) | 62 (48.4%) | 76 (59.4%) | 0.114 |
| Number of SJC, median (IQR) | 6.0 (3.0–9.0) | 5.0 (2.0–10.0) | 0.235 |
| Number of TJC, median (IQR) | 3.0 (1.0–7.0) | 4.0 (2.0–10.0) | 0.025 |
| HAQ-SDI, median (IQR) | 1.2d (0.9–1.6) | 1.0e (0.4–1.5) | 0.003 |
| VAS well-being, median (IQR) | 50.0 (28.3–65.0) | 51.0 (35.0–70.0) | 0.290 |
| VAS pain, median (IQR) | 50.0f (39.8–64.0) | 62.0g (49.0–75.0) | 0.001 |
| SF36-PCS, mean ± SD | 38.1 ± 7.6h | 37.3 ± 9.2i | 0.512 |
| SF36-MCS, mean ± SD | 40.7 ± 7.4j | 44.9 ± 11.9k | 0.003 |
| BMI, kg/m2, mean ± SD | 26.5 ± 4.8l | 26.0 ± 4.1m | 0.388 |
| Baseline SHS-score, median (IQR) | 3.0 (1.0–7.0)n | 2.0 (1.0–5.8)o | 0.119 |
| Erosion, median (IQR) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0)n | 0.0 (0.0–1.0)o | 0.012 |
| Joint space narrowing, median (IQR) | 2.0 (0.0–5.0)n | 1.0 (0.0–1.0)o | 0.586 |
| Injection triamcinolone, n% | 4 (3.1%) | 67 (52.3%) | 0.000 |
a(n = 127), b(n = 121), c(n = 127), d(n = 102), e(n = 87), f(n = 122), g(72), h(n = 105), i(n = 86), j(n = 105), k(n = 86),l(n = 126), m(n = 119), n(n = 126), o(n = 124)
DAS28 Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP C-reactive protein, TJC tender joint count, SJC swollen joint count, HAQ-SDI Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (standard scoring), SF-36 Short-Form 36 health survey (version 2), PCS physical component summary, MCS mental component summary, BMI body mass index, RF rheumatoid factor, Anti-CCP anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide