Comparison of group characteristics at baseline of the original study. Values are shown as means (SD) unless stated otherwise
| Initial patients (n=71) | Clinic visit* (n=53, 75%) | Phone interview* (n=16, 23%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Two male patients in the placebo group were not available; †not determined in one patient. | |||
| Age (years) | 36.2 (12.4) | 36.8 (12.4) | 34.5 (12.7) |
| Duration of disease (days) | 42.4 (50.3) | 34.9 (23.7) | 43.9 (29.2) |
| Sex | |||
| Female, No (%) | 28 (39) | 23 (43) | 5 (31) |
| Male, No (%) | 43 (61) | 30 (57) | 11 (69) |
| Number of swollen joints | 3.4 (1.7) | 3.6 (1.7) | 2.8 (1.4) |
| Joint tenderness score | 6.2 (2.9) | 6.1 (2.8) | 6.6 (3.2) |
| Joint swelling score | 5.1 (2.7) | 5.4 (2.7) | 4.4 (2.4) |
| ESR (mm/1st h) | 60.7 (26.8) | 62.7 (27.1) | 54.7 (25.7) |
| CRP (mg/l) | 63.6 (50) | 62.2 (45.2) | 67.0 (62.6) |
| HLA-B27 positive† | 56 (79) | 45 (85) | 11 (69) |