Baseline characteristics of 83 autoantibody-positive patients with arthralgia*
| Characteristics | Dexamethasone (n=42) | Placebo (n=41) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 45 (10) | 48 (10) |
| Female sex | 26 (62) | 27 (66) |
| Symptom duration in months, median (IQR)† | 12 (6–36) | 12 (6–24) |
| Number of tender joints,‡median (IQR) | 8 (2–12) | 4 (1–14) |
| Distribution of tender joints‡ | ||
| Small joints | 9 (21) | 5 (12) |
| Large joints | 8 (19) | 15 (37) |
| Small and large joints | 25 (60) | 21 (51) |
| Symmetric distribution of tender joints‡ | 34 (81) | 25 (61) |
| Localisation of tender joints‡ | ||
| Upper extremities | 20 (48) | 20 (49) |
| Lower extremities | 2 (5) | 2 (5) |
| Upper and lower extremities | 20 (48) | 19 (46) |
| Morning stiffness for more than 1 h | 8 (19) | 3 (7) |
| Pain on a 100 mm VAS, median (IQR) | 25 (0–49) | 20 (0–48) |
| Number of tender joints at physical examination, median (IQR) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) |
| Acute phase reactant | ||
| CRP (mg/l), median (IQR) | 1.6 (0.6–4.3) | 2.4 (1.1–4.6) |
| Autoantibody status | ||
| IgM-RF positive, ACPA negative | 10 (24) | 12 (29) |
| ACPA positive, IgM-RF negative | 18 (43) | 13 (32) |
| IgM-RF and ACPA positive | 14 (33) | 16 (39) |
| ACPA (AU/ml), median (IQR)§ | 63 (14–244) | 71 (21–201) |
| IgM-RF (IU/ml), median (IQR)§ | 82 (52–125) | 58 (39–103) |