Baseline characteristics of the study group
| Patient | Age (years) | Sex | Duration of disease (years) | Treatment during study period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 64 | F | 6 | Methotrexate 25 mg IV/week; prednisolone 5 mg/day |
| 2 | 49 | F | 15 | Methotrexate 25 mg IV/week; prednisolone, reduced from 15 to 7.5 mg/day (days 16–29) |
| 3 | 65 | F | 36 | Methotrexate 20 mg IV/week; prednisolone 7.5 mg/day |
| 4 | 61 | M | 7 | Methotrexate 15 mg IV/week; prednisolone, reduced from 20 to 15 mg/day (days 15–29) |
| 5 | 47 | F | 27 | Prednisolone, reduced from 12.5 to 7.5 mg/day (days 1–16: 10 mg, days 17– 29: 7.5 mg) |