Changes in clinical and ultrasound parameters during the observation period
| Baseline | 4 Weeks | Mean change and significance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| *p⩽0.05; | |||
| **p⩽0.01; | |||
| ***p⩽0.001. | |||
| Results are shown as mean (SD) unless indicated otherwise. | |||
| Pixel fraction | 0.21 (0.16) | 0.10 (0.13) | 0.11 ( 0.19)*** |
| Total pixels | 14721.5 (12043.5) | 10169.9 (7567.2) | 4551.56 (9389.67)** |
| RI mean | 0.71 (0.12) | 0.79 (0.17) | −0.078 (0.2)** |
| VAS (target joint) | 53.9 (28.0) | 35.2 (26.2) | 18.7 (25.7) *** |
| HAQ | 16.1 (8.3) | 13.7 (9.3) | 2.4 (5.4)* |
| ESR | 19.4 (14.79) | 18.8 (15.9) | 0.5 (12.8)NS |
| CRP | 21.2 (21.6) | 16.2 (16.4) | 5.0 (15.7)* |
| Morning stiffness (min), median (range) | 30 (0–300) | 5 (0–300) | 25* |
| Patient’s global assessment, median (range) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (1–4) | 0* |
| Tenderness of the target joint, median (range) | 2 (0–3) | 1 (0–3) | 1** |
| Swelling of the target joint, median (range) | 2 (0–3) | 1 (0–3) | 1*** |