Current drug treatment 1997–2007
| Patients with (%) | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No DMARDs | 18.2 | 15.4 | 17.1 | 15.2 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 15.1 | 12.7 | 13.8 | 19.2 | 15.4 | NS |
| DMARD monotherapy | 74.3 | 73.2 | 69.8 | 72.9 | 73.4 | 70.0 | 67.8 | 69.0 | 66.5 | 60.4 | 61.8 | <0.001 |
| DMARD combination | 7.5 | 11.4 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 13.6 | 16.3 | 17.1 | 18.3 | 19.7 | 20.4 | 22.8 | <0.001 |
| GC only | 4.9 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | <0.001 |
| MTX | 52.2 | 54.3 | 56.4 | 55.2 | 57.0 | 57.1 | 56.0 | 57.5 | 56.2 | 53.9 | 56.4 | NS |
| Leflunomide | * | * | * | 5.0 | 8.5 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 10.9 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 12.2 | <0.001 |
| Biological agents | * | * | * | 1.5 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 8.2 | 9.6 | 14.8 | 16.8 | 16.2 | <0.001 |
| Antimalarials | 7.0 | 8.3 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 10.9 | 11.8 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 7.6 | 7.3 | <0.01 |
| Sulfasalazine | 10.0 | 11.3 | 12.1 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 7.8 | <0.001 |
| GC ≤7.5 mg/day | 39.4 | 39.1 | 40.5 | 42.3 | 43.3 | 42.4 | 41.4 | 41.3 | 51.5 | 54.7 | 45.3 | <0.05 |
| GC >7.5 mg/day | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 9.8 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 11.4 | 11.5 | 9.0 | NS |
| NSAIDs, non-selective | 47.3 | 48.8 | 48.0 | 41.9 | 33.8 | 28.1 | 26.9 | 25.2 | 39.7 | 38.0 | 36.4 | <0.001 |
| COX2 inhibitors | * | * | * | 10.7 | 18.0 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 19.2 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 8.3 | <0.05 |
| Analgesics | 7.5 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 13.4 | 12.0 | 13.8 | 15.0 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 11.4 | NS |
↵* No valid data available.
DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; GC, glucocorticoids; MTX, methotrexate; NS, not significant; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.