Rheumatoid factor (RF) seropositivity and prognosis of 142 patients with early RA during the follow up period of a mean of six years
| RF at baseline | RF at one year | RF at baseline and one year | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF+ (n=90) | RF− (n=52) | p Value | RF+ (n=76) | RF− (n=66) | p Value | RF+ (n=62) | RF− (n=38) | p Value | |||
| At onset | |||||||||||
| swollen joint count, median (IQR) | 5 (3–10) | 5.5 (2–14) | NS | 6 (4–14) | 3 (2–7) | <0.001 | 6 (4–12) | 4 (2–8) | NS | ||
| tender joint count, median (IQR) | 15 (8–21) | 16 (9–24) | NS | 16 (9–24) | 13.5 (8–20) | NS | 16 (8–24) | 15 (7–24) | NS | ||
| Mallya score, median (IQR) | 2.4 (2.1–2.8) | 2.6 (2.2–3.0) | NS | 2.5 (2.1–2.8) | 2.4 (2.1–2.8) | NS | 2.5 (21–28) | 2.6 (2.1–3.0) | NS | ||
| At one year | |||||||||||
| swollen joint count, median (IQR) | 1 (0–6) | 1 (0–7) | NS | 2 (0–8) | 0 (0–2) | <0.001 | 2 (0–7) | 0 (0–2) | 0.01 | ||
| Mallya score, median (IQR) | 1.8 (1.5—2.1) | 1.8 (1.5–2.4) | NS | 2.0 (1.5–2.5) | 1.8 (1.3–2.2) | 0.011 | 2.0 (1.5–2.5) | 1.8 (1.3–2.3) | NS | ||
| At two year | |||||||||||
| in remission, % | 24 | 33 | NS | 17 | 39 | 0.003 | 19 | 42 | 0.014 | ||
| At the latest visit | |||||||||||
| nodules found, % | 14 | 8 | NS | 22 | 0 | <0.0001 | 21 | 0 | 0.002 | ||
| ARA Functional Class III-IV, % | 28 | 17 | NS | 36 | 11 | <0.001 | 36 | 11 | 0.006 | ||
| HAQ >1, % | 22 | 26 | NS | 27 | 19 | NS | 27 | 25 | NS | ||
| in remission, % | 29 | 37 | NS | 26 | 38 | NS | 27 | 42 | NS | ||
| SAARDs used, median (IQR) | 3 (1–5) | 3 (2–5) | NS | 4 (2–5) | 2 (1–4) | 0.0066 | 3 (2–5) | 2 (1–4) | NS | ||
| Discontinuations of SAARD treatment because of inefficacy, median (IQR) | 1 (0–2) | 0.5 (0–3) | NS | 1.5 (0–3) | 0.5 (0–2) | 0.013 | 1 (0–2) | 0 (0–2) | 0.022 | ||
HAQ = Health Assessment Questionnaire.