Footnotes

• Handling editor Josef S Smolen

• Contributors SJHK and AvdH-vM designed the study. SJHK and EvM accessed and verified the data. SJHK analysed the data and acted as guarantor. All authors interpreted the data and wrote the report. AvdH-vM was the principal investigator. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and were responsible for the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

• Funding This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Starting grant, agreement No. 714312) and by the Dutch Arthritis Society.

• Competing interests None declared.

• Patient and public involvement Patient partners were involved in the design of the CSA-cohort, and in the design and execution of the TREAT EARLIER-trial

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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