Baseline characteristics and clinical data in the patients with slow and fast rate of radiographic progression during follow up period of a mean of six years. Cut off point >50 (fast) and ⩾50 (slow) Larsen score at the latest visit
| Radiographic progression | p Value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow (Larsen score ⩽50) | Fast (Larsen score >50) | ||||
| Patients (n) (%) | 94 (66) | 48 (34) | |||
| At onset | |||||
| age, year, mean (SD) | 46 (13) | 44 (14) | NS | ||
| disease duration, months, median (IQR) | 8 (5–11) | 6 (4–9) | NS | ||
| female/male, % | 73 / 27 | 79 / 21 | NS | ||
| RF positivity, % | 60 | 70 | NS | ||
| DR4 positivity, % (studied in 140 patients) | 63 | 55 | NS | ||
| DRB1 *0101/*0401/4/8 positivity, % (studied in 57 patients) | 84 | 72 | NS | ||
| swollen joint count, median (IQR) | 4 (2–8) | 7 (3–14) | 0.015 | ||
| tender joint count, median (IQR) | 14.5 (7–22) | 16.5 (12–23) | NS | ||
| ESR, median (IQR) | 25.5 (14–52) | 35 (24–55) | 0.033 | ||
| Mallya score, median (IQR) | 2.3 (2.1–2.8) | 2.8 (2.4–3.0) | <0.001 | ||
| HAQ score, median (IQR) (studied in 134 patients) | 0.1 (0–0.4) | 0.3 (0.1–0.5) | <0.001 | ||
| Larsen score, median (IQR) | 2 (0–7) | 2 (0–8) | NS | ||
| At the latest visit | |||||
| disease duration, median (IQR) | 76 (60–84) | 84 (60–95) | 0.01 | ||
| HAQ score, median (IQR) (studied in 130 patients) | 0 (0–0.5) | 1.0 (0.5–1.8) | <0.001 | ||
| SAARDs used, median (IQR) | 2 (1–4) | 5 (4–6) | <0.001 | ||
| SAARDs discontinuations | |||||
| because of inefficacy, median (IQR) | 0 (0–1) | 3 (2–3) | <0.0001 | ||
| because of adverse event, median (IQR) | 0 (0–1) | 1 (0–2) | 0.0036 | ||
HAQ = Health Assessment Questionnaire.