Table 2.

Changes from baseline in inflammatory index and disease activity at 6 months and 12 months.

	LEF group				CYC group
	Baseline	6 months	12 months	p value	Baseline	6 months	12 months	p value
	(n = 47)	(n = 45)	(n = 42)		(n = 45)	(n = 41)	(n = 38)
ESR, mm/H	24.00	9.00	11.00	<0.01*	45.50	13.00	11.50	<0.01*
	(9.00–54.25)	(3.75–17.00)	(4.50–20.50)		(24.75–69.75)	(4.00–21.00)	(6.25–33.25)
CRP, mg/l	5.50	2.20	2.50	0.06	16.20	6.00	6.65cc	<0.01*
	(1.40–24.25)	(0.70–8.30)	(0.65–9.90)		(7.50–41.90)	(0.98–11.25)	(1.10–21.80)
IL-6, pg/ml	5.00	5.35	5.60	0.89	6.80	3.10	4.00	0.18
	(2.10–9.80)	(2.58–6.83)	(2.80–8.10)		(2.28–11.45)	(2.30–5.80)	(2.45–6.95)
NIH score ⩽1, n (%)	0	42 (93.33%)	40 (91.5%)	<0.01*	0	35 (85.37%)	35 (89.74%)	<0.01*
GC dosage, mg/day	30.00	15.00	10.00	<0.01*	40.00	15.00	10.00	<0.01*
	(20.00–40.00)	(10.63–15.00)	(10.00–10.00)		(40.00–50.00)	(12.50–16.25)	(10.00–15.00)

CRP, C-reactive protein; CYC, cyclophosphamide; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GC, glucocorticoids; IL-6, interleukin 6; LEF, leflunomide; NIH, National Institutes of Health.

p Value: comparison among baseline, 6 months and 12 months, p value < 0.05 (*) was considered to indicate statistical significance.