Table 3.

Subgroup analyses for RCS

Characteristics	Number of SSc patients	β	95% CI
Vasoactive medication	57	−0.072	−0.23, 0.090
No vasoactive medication	28	−0.064	−0.27, 0.14
DU and PS on baseline	37	−0.039	−0.42, 0.34
No DU and PS on baseline	48	−0.073	−0.21, 0.061
Smoker	10	0.160	−0.20, 0.52
Non-smoker	73	−0.12	−0.25, 0.020
Late SSc pattern on baseline	29	−0.061	−0.29, 0.17
Other pattern on baseline	55	−0.072	−0.22, 0.079
Prior RCSa ≥7	47	−0.15	−0.31, 0.024
Prior RCSa <7	38	0.040	−0.15, 0.23
Wearing the gloves ≥10 h	35	−0.18	−0.37, 0.011
Wearing the gloves <10 h	34	−0.040	−0.23, 0.15
Correctly identifying the period of silver fibre gloves	45	−0.16	−0.34, 0.014
Not correctly identifying the period of silver fibre gloves	40	0.040	−0.14, 0.22

For each subgroup, shown per row, a linear mixed model was performed with the RCS as the dependent variable, the type of gloves as the independent variable, adjusted for prior RCS, and a random slope was added. The reference category was normal gloves. For example, in the SSc patients with vasoactive medication, a β of −0.072 means that wearing 8% silver fibre gloves gave a 0.072 lower RCS compared with normal gloves in SSc patients with vasoactive medication, which was a non-significant difference.

^aMean RCS during the 2 weeks before the start of the trial (without wearing gloves).

DU: digital ulcers; PS: pitting scars.