Table 2

Patient characteristics (mean values or proportions)

		Treatment groups
		Budesonide 3 mg	Budesonide 9 mg	Prednisolone 7.5 mg	Placebo	Combined
DMARD, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
N		37	35	39	31	142
Age (years)		54.2	57.8	53.4	54.7	55.0
Proportion female (%)		70	77	62	77	71
Weight (kg)		73.5	74.6	73.9	71.4	73.4
Height (cm)		166	165	168	166	166
Disease duration (years)		13.1	8.5	7.0	7.2	9.0
Proportion with erosions (%)		84	66	54	87	72
Number taking NSAIDs		30	27	30	26	113
Number taking DMARDs		28	25	26	20	99
Disability (HAQ) score	Baseline	1.61	1.57	1.51	1.52	1.55
	12 weeks	1.57	1.41	1.11	1.48
Tender joint count	Baseline	14.2	11.8	12.3	12.6	12.7
	12 weeks	11.0	7.7	6.6	11.7
Swollen joint count	Baseline	12.9	9.8	11.6	11.8	11.5
	12 weeks	10.2	6.2	7.2	11.5
Patient’s assessment of pain (mm)	Baseline	54.1	65.5	49.2	56.9	56.2
	12 weeks	47.9	47.6	28.8	54.8
Patient’s global assessment of disease activity	Baseline	50.6	59.0	54.4	54.4	54.5
Patient’s global assessment of disease activity	12 weeks	48.1	42.4	31.8	55.8
Clinician’s global assessment of disease activity	Baseline	3.1	3.2	3.0	3.1	3.1
Clinician’s global assessment of disease activity	12 weeks	2.8	2.7	2.3	3.0
Early morning stiffness (minutes)	Baseline	111	98	93	105	102
	12 weeks	54	73	73	94
C reactive protein (mg/l)	Baseline	22.5	32.9	30.2	39.9	28.8
	12 weeks	21.0	33.3	10.8	34.2