Patient characteristics and concomitant drug treatment at entry
| Variable | First year (n = 820) | Years 2–4 (n = 253) | Entire cohort (n = 1073) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Values are n (%) or mean, as indicated. | |||
| *Reported drug treatment during the first three months of follow up. | |||
| DAS, disease activity score; DMARD, disease modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. | |||
| Female sex | 627 (76.5%) | 195 (77.1%) | 822 (76.6%) |
| Age (years), mean | 52.3 | 51.0 | 52.0 |
| HAQ, mean score | 1.64 | 1.50 | 1.62 |
| Missing | 33 (4.0%) | 40 (15.8%) | 73 (6.8%) |
| DAS 28, mean | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.9 |
| Missing | 56 (6.8%) | 53 (20.9%) | 109 (10.2%) |
| C reactive protein (mg/l), mean | 48 | 36 | 45 |
| Missing | 28 (3.4%) | 38 (15.0%) | 66 (6.2%) |
| ESR (mm/h), mean | 47 | 39 | 45 |
| Missing | 39 (4.8%) | 47 (18.6%) | 86 (8.0%) |
| Doctor’s global assessment | |||
| No disease activity | 2 (0.2%) | 4 (1.6%) | 6 (0.6%) |
| Low disease activity | 47 (5.7%) | 18 (7.1%) | 65 (6.1%) |
| Moderate disease activity | 338 (41.2%) | 91 (36.0%) | 429 (40.0%) |
| High disease activity | 379 (46.2%) | 97 (38.3%) | 476 (44.4%) |
| Maximum disease activity | 18 (2.2%) | 5 (2.0%) | 23 (2.1%) |
| Missing | 36 (4.4%) | 38 (15.0%) | 74 (6.9%) |
| Concomitant drug treatment* | |||
| DMARD none | 377 (46.0%) | 110 (43.5%) | 487 (45.4%) |
| One | 372 (45.4%) | 97 (38.3%) | 469 (43.7%) |
| Two | 60 (7.3%) | 12 (4.7%) | 72 (6.7%) |
| Three | 2 (0.2%) | 2 (0.8%) | 4 (0.4%) |
| Methotrexate | 339 (41.3%) | 91 (36.0%) | 430 (40.1%) |
| Sulfasalazine | 46 (5.6%) | 10 (4.0%) | 56 (5.2%) |
| Ciclosporin | 36 (4.4%) | 9 (3.6%) | 45 (4.2%) |
| Azathioprine | 21 (2.6%) | 4 (1.6%) | 25 (2.3%) |
| Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine | 18 (2.2%) | 6 (2.4%) | 24 (2.2%) |
| Reumacon® (CPH 82) | 16 (2.0%) | 1 (0.4%) | 17 (1.6%) |
| Sodium aurothiomalate | 7 (0.9%) | 0 | 7 (0.7%) |
| Auranofin | 5 (0.6%) | 0 | 5 (0.5%) |
| Other DMARD | 10 (1.2%) | 6 (2.4%) | 16 (1.5%) |
| Missing | 9 (1.1%) | 32 (12.7%) | 41 (3.8%) |
| Corticosteroids | 779 (95.0%) | 242 (95.7%) | 1021 (95.2%) |
| Non-aspirin NSAIDs | 779 (95.0%) | 242 (95.7%) | 1021 (95.2%) |
| Other analgesics | 738 (90.0%) | 231 (91.3%) | 969 (90.3%) |