Table 2.
Twelve-month outcomes and medications by disease onset group compared using ANOVA
| Variable | All patients | Similar onset date | Patient onset precedes MD date | Patient onset after MD date | P value |
| DAS28 | 2.8 (1.4) | 2.8 (1.4) | 2.9 (1.4) | 2.7 (1.3) | 0.266 |
| Change in DAS28 (0–12 months) | −2.1 (1.8) | −2.2 (1.8) | −1.9 (1.7) | −2.1 (1.5) | 0.016 |
| Proportion in DAS28 remission (baseline) | 184 (7.3) | 125 (6.8) | 46 (9.8) | 13 (5.6) | 0.049 |
| Proportion in DAS28 remission (12 months) | 847 (53.3) | 624 (54.1) | 138 (48.6) | 85 (55.6) | 0.207 |
| CDAI | 8.2 (9.2) | 8.0 (9.0) | 9.2 (9.7) | 8.0 (9.8) | 0.109 |
| Change in CDAI (0–12 months) | −17.3 (15.3) | −17.8 (15.6) | −15.6 (15.0) | −17.0 (13.8) | 0.070 |
| Proportion in CDAI remission (baseline) | 36 (1.4) | 26 (1.4) | 9 (1.8) | 1 (0.4) | 0.316 |
| Proportion in CDAI remission (12 months) | 575 (32.7) | 432 (34.0) | 88 (27.5) | 55 (32.7) | 0.083 |
| SDAI | 8.9 (9.6) | 8.6 (9.4) | 9.9 (9.9) | 8.8 (10.2) | 0.136 |
| Change in SDAI (0–12 months) | −18.3 (16.4) | −18.8 (16.7) | −16.8 (16.0) | −17.1 (14.2) | 0.168 |
| Proportion in SDAI remission (baseline) | 38 (1.6) | 25 (1.4) | 11 (2.5) | 2 (0.9) | 0.204 |
| Proportion in SDAI remission (12 months) | 509 (34.3) | 389 (36.2) | 76 (28.4) | 44 (31.9) | 0.045 |
| HAQ-DI (0–3) | 0.5 (0.6) | 0.5 (0.6) | 0.6 (0.6) | 0.5 (0.7) | 0.048 |
| Change in HAQ-DI (0–12 months) | −0.5 (0.7) | −0.5 (0.7) | −0.4 (0.7) | −0.5 (0.7) | 0.001 |
| Erosions (%) | 323 (17.1) | 237 (17.3) | 59 (17.3) | 27 (15.1) | 0.763 |
| Swollen joint count (0–28) | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | 2 (4) | 0.558 |
| Tender joint count (0–28) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 0.886 |
| ESR | 15.4 (15.5) | 15.1 (15.5) | 16.4 (16.1) | 15.1 (13.5) | 0.501 |
| CRP | 5.5 (9.5) | 5.3 (9.7) | 5.9 (9.6) | 5.7 (7.7) | 0.683 |
| MD global assessment (0–10) | 1.4 (1.9) | 1.4 (1.9) | 1.6 (2.0) | 1.4 (2.0) | 0.092 |
| Patient global score (0–10) | 2.9 (2.7) | 2.8 (2.7) | 3.3 (2.7) | 2.8 (2.6) | 0.028 |
| Oral corticosteroid (%) | 283 (10) | 201 (10) | 54 (11) | 28 (11) | 0.858 |
| Parenteral corticosteroid (%) | 211 (8) | 157 (8) | 36 (7) | 18 (7) | 0.777 |
| RA therapy | |||||
| MTX monotherapy | 422 (16) | 302 (16) | 77 (16) | 43 (18) | 0.731 |
| MTX combination | 953 (36) | 721 (37) | 148 (30) | 84 (34) | 0.008 |
| Other DMARDs | 352 (13) | 253 (13) | 70 (14) | 29 (12) | 0.671 |
| Biologics | 265 (10) | 193 (10) | 50 (10) | 22 (9) | 0.873 |
| None of the above | 691 (26) | 471 (24) | 152 (30) | 68 (28) | 0.013 |
Remission: DAS28≤2.6, CDAI≤2.8, SDAI≤3.3; results are in mean (SD) if not specified otherwise.
Statistically significant values are indicated in bold.
ANOVA, analysis of variance; CDAI, Clinical Disease Activity Index; CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28, Disease Activity Score based on 28 joint count; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; MD, medical doctor; MTX, methotrexate; SDAI, Simplified Disease Activity Index.