| Etanercept (n = 8) | Placebo (n = 9) | p Value | |
| Age, years | 74.5 (5.7) | 74.4 (6.8) | 0.8 |
| Sex, % females | 75 | 88.9 | 0.6 |
| Time from GCA diagnosis (months): | |||
| Median (CI 95%) | 9.9 (2.7 to 24.9) | 8.3 (1 to 53.4) | 0.7 |
| Comorbidities, %: | 0.2 | ||
| 1 | 12.5 | 0 | |
| 2 | 0 | 11.1 | |
| 3 | 25 | 55.6 | |
| 4 | 12.5 | 22.2 | |
| ⩾5 | 50 | 11.1 | |
| Systolic blood pressure, mmHg | 143.4 (10) | 149.7 (22.4) | 0.8 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg | 80.1 (10.7) | 87.9 (7.9) | 0.1 |
| Glycaemia, mg/dl | 113.9 (44.1) | 84.7 (5.4) | 0.02 |
| HbA1c, % | 8.9 (1.7) | 7.5 (1) | 0.3 |
| ESR, mm/h | 21.2 (9.6) | 12.1 (10.6) | 0.01 |
| CRP, mg/dl | 1.4 (1.8) | 0.8 (1.1) | 0.4 |
Except for time from diagnosis, values are expressed as mean (SD). Normal value of CRP: <0.5 mg/dl ESR⩽15 mm/h.
CI, confidence interval; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GCA, giant cell arteritis.