| Sequential monotherapy (group1) | Step-up combination therapy (group 2) | Initial combination with prednisone (group 3) | Initial combination with infliximab (group 4) | p Value | |
| Mean (SD) improvement in health assessment questionnaire compared with baseline | |||||
| 3 Years | 0.8 (0.7) | 0.7 (0.7) | 0.8 (0.8) | 0.9 (0.7) | 0.66 |
| 4 Years | 0.8 (0.6) | 0.7 (0.8) | 0.8 (0.8) | 0.8 (0.8) | 0.64 |
| Progression of Sharp/van der Heijde score from baseline to 4 years follow-up | |||||
| Total score | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 11.7 (17.3) | 9.7 (12.8) | 6.7 (9.6) | 5.4 (9.2) | |
| Median (IQR) | 5.0 (1.0–15.8) | 5.5 (1.0–13.8) | 3.0 (1.0–7.5) | 2.5 (0.5–6.5) | 0.005† |
| Erosion score | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 6.0 (8.8) | 5.7 (6.8) | 3.0 (4.1) | 3.0 (5.2) | |
| Median (IQR) | 3.0 (0.5–8.5) | 3.5 (0.5–10.0) | 2.0 (0.5–3.5) | 1.5 (0.5–4.0) | 0.001* |
| Narrowing score | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 5.7 (10.0) | 4.0 (7.0) | 3.7 (6.7) | 2.4 (4.6) | |
| Median (IQR) | 1.8 (0.0–7.0) | 1.0 (0.0–4.5) | 1.0 (0.0–3.9) | 1.0 (0.0–2.5) | 0.17 |
*p<0.05 for all comparisons of groups 1 and 2 versus groups 3 and 4; †group 1 versus group 2, p = 0.77; group 1 versus group 3, p = 0.06; group 1 versus group 4, p = 0.002; group 2 versus group 3, p = 0.10; group 2 versus group 4, p = 0.005; group 3 versus group 4, p = 0.18. IQR, interquartile range.