Table 1.
Demographic, clinical, and inflammatory parameters according to the infection status by intestinal protozoa in patients with RA.
| Protozoa infection status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | Total (n = 18) | Negative (n = 9) | Positive (n = 9) | p -value |
| Sociodemographic features | ||||
| Age, years, median (P5−P95)a | 46.5 (23–67) | 47 (36–67) | 46 (23–53) | 0.16 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2, median (P5−P95)a | 28.1 (21.3–39.1) | 28.1 (24.8–38.9) | 28.1 (21.3–39.1) | 0.85 |
| Communities | 0.06 | |||
| Urban | 8 (44.4) | 3 (33.3) | 7 (77.8) | |
| Rural | 10 (55.6) | 6 (66.7) | 2 (22.2) | |
| Clinical assessment | ||||
| Disease evolution, years, median (P5−P95)a | 3.49 (0.33–25) | 3.98 (1–25) | 2.73 (0.33–16) | 0.89 |
| CRP, mg/L, median (P5−P95)a | 13.9 (4.99–46.9) | 13.4 (7.5–46.9) | 14.4 (4.9–33.9) | 0.33 |
| ESR, mm/hr, median (P5−P95)a | 36 (7–51) | 37 (7–50) | 35 (12–51) | 0.69 |
| DAS28-ESR, score, median (P5−P95)a | 3.22 (2.45–6.56) | 3.39 (2.55–6.56) | 2.91 (2.45–5.13) | 0.23 |
| DAS28-ESR, n (%)b | 0.57 | |||
| Remission (<2.6) | 3 (16.7) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (22.2) | |
| Low activity (≥2.6, <3.2) | 6 (33.3) | 2 (22.2) | 4 (44.4) | |
| Moderate activity (≥3.2, ≤ 5.1) | 6 (33.3) | 4 (44.4) | 2 (22.2) | |
| High activity (>5.1) | 3 (16.7) | 2 (22.2) | 1 (11.1) | |
| HAQ-DI, score, median (P5−P95)a | 0.27 (0–1.15) | 0.55 (0.05–1.15) | 0.05 (0–0.8) | 0.09 |
| Laboratory assessment | ||||
| Rheumatoid factor, IU/ml, median (P5−P95)a | 65.9 (8.6–942.5) | 76.7 (8.56–942.5) | 59.9 (8.59–443) | 0.82 |
| Rheumatoid factor, n (%)b | 0.59 | |||
| Negative (<20 UI/ml) | 5 (27.8) | 3 (33.3) | 2 (22.2) | |
| Positive (≥20 UI/ml) | 13 (72.2) | 6 (66.7) | 7 (77.8) | |
| Leucocytes, (%)b | 7.18 (4.3–14.2) | 6.9 (4.3–13.2) | 8 (5.3–14.2) | 0.10 |
| Neutrophils, (%)b | 62.5 (43–71) | 62 (43–71) | 63 (45–71) | 0.92 |
| Basophiles, (%)b | 0.45 (0–1) | 0.4 (0–0.6) | 0.7 (0–1.0) | 0.15 |
| Monocytes, (%)b | 5.8 (1–10.1) | 6 (4–8.8) | 5.6 (1–10.1) | 0.56 |
| Eosinophils, (%)b | 2.9 (0–12) | 2 (0–6) | 3 (0.5–12.0) | 0.16 |
| Lymphocytes, (%)b | 29 (18.3–48) | 29 (18.3–48) | 29.1 (21–48) | 0.92 |
| Current therapy scheme | ||||
| DMARDs, n (%)b | 0.31 | |||
| No | 6 (33.3) | 2 (22.2) | 4 (44.4) | |
| Yes | 12 (66.7) | 7 (77.8) | 5 (55.6) | |
DAS28, disease activity score 28; CRP, C-reactive protein; DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ-DI, health assessment questionnaire; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.
a
Data are expressed as the median and percentiles 5th−95th, compared using Mann–Whitney U test.
b
Data are expressed as the n (%), compared using the Chi-squared test.
p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.