Indices of responsiveness at week 16 of follow up, for each treatment group, ordered by standardised response mean (SRM) of the combination group
| Combined treatment (n=75) | Sulfasalazine (n=79) | t Value | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean change | SEΔ | SRM | ES | Mean change | SEΔ | SRM | ES | |||
| Count core set measures ⩾20% improved | 5.9 | 0.2 | 4.1 | — | 4.1 | 0.2 | 2.2 | — | 5.7 | |
| Change in disease activity by patient, 7 point Likert | 2.6 | 0.1 | 3.5 | — | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.2 | — | 5.3 | |
| Pooled index composite measure | 1.4 | 0.1 | 2.4 | — | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | — | 6.5 | |
| MACTAR interview | 12 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 8.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 3.7 | |
| Count core set measures ⩾50% improved | 4.6 | 0.2 | 2.2 | — | 2.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | — | 6.0 | |
| Disease activity score (DAS) composite measure | −2.1 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | −1.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 4.9 | |
| AIMS pain scale | −8.4 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | −5.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3.6 | |
| Health Assessment Questionnaire | −1.1 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | −0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 6.2 | |
| Pain assessment by patient, VAS | −3.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.6 | −1.8 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 4.0 | |
| Disease activity by patient, 5 point Likert | −1.7 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | −1.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | |
| ESR (mm/1st h) | −41 | 3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | −23 | 3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 4.1 | |
| Swollen joint count ARA 48 | −9 | 1 | 1.4 | 1.0 | −5 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 4.2 | |
| Grip strength (kPa) | 22 | 2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 8 | 1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 5.8 | |
| Count core set measures ⩾70% improved | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | — | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | — | 4.8 | |
| Global assessment by observer, VAS | −30 | 3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | −14 | 3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 4.3 | |
| Physical function by patient, 6 point Likert | 1.8 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 2.2 | |
| Tender joint count ARA 68 | −14 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | −6 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 4.1 | |
| Ritchie Arthritis Index tender joints | −10 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | −7 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 2.5 | |
| CRP (mg/l) | −33 | 4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | −18 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.2 | |
| AIMS mobility scale | 5.3 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 3.9 | |
| Global assessment by patient, VAS | −2.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | −1.7 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 | |
| AIMS self efficacy scale | 5.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2.7 | |
SEΔ = standard error of change; SRM = standardised response mean; ES = effect size;t value, unpaired (i.e. between group). SRM 95% confidence intervals have a width of <0.5 around the listed value, between-SRMs differences ⩾0.35 are significant (two sided p<0.05, no correction for multiple comparison).