Patients’ characteristics
| Patient | Age (y) | Sex | Disease duration (y) | RF | Stage | Class | HLA DRB1 | HLA DQB1 | Treatment |
| 1 | 49 | F | 4 | − | 2 | 2 | ND | ND | PSL, NSAIDs, Buc |
| 2 | 74 | M | 5 | − | 2 | 2 | ND | ND | PSL, NSAIDs, Buc |
| 3 | 45 | F | 6 | + | 2 | 2 | ND | ND | SASP, Buc, PSL |
| 4 | 58 | F | 4 | + | 1 | 2 | ND | ND | PSL, NSAIDs, MTX |
| 5 | 48 | F | 11 | + | 4 | 2 | ND | ND | PSL, NSAIDs |
| 6 | 52 | F | 20 | + | 3 | 2 | 01/1602 | 0501/0502 | PSL, NSAIDs |
| 7 | 26 | F | 3 | + | 1 | 2 | ND | ND | PSL, NSAIDs, Buc |
| 8 | 65 | F | 7 | + | 4 | 2 | 0405/0901 | 03032/0401 | Buc, MTX, NSAIDs |
| 9 | 59 | F | 0.75 | − | 1 | 2 | 1501/0802 | 0601/0602 | Buc, PSL, NSAIDs |
RF = rheumatoid factor; PSL = prednisolone; NSAIDs = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Buc = bucillamine, SASP = salazosulphapyridine, MTX = methotrexate, ND = not determined.