Clinical features | Early RA (N=22) | Established RA (N=16) | Healthy controls (N=22) |
---|---|---|---|
Age, years (median, range) | 52 (28–83) | 64 (39–80) | 48 (21–58) |
Female:male | 15:7 | 9:7 | 19:3 |
Duration of RA, months (median, range) | 12 (2–23) | 174 (62–436) | – |
Ethnicity: white (%) | 64 | 81 | 86 |
Rheumatoid factor +ve (%) | 91 | 81 | – |
Anti-CCP antibody +ve (%) | 90 | 94 | – |
Medications | Number (%) | Number (%) | |
NSAIDs | 16 (73%) | 5 (31%) | |
Methotrexate 5–20 mg/week | 17 (77%) | 11 (69%) | |
Sulphasalazine 1–3 g/day | 8 (36%) | 5 (31%) | |
Hydroxychloroquine 400 mg/day | 8 (36%) | 6 (37%) | |
Leflunomide 20 mg/day | 2 (9%) | 4 (25%) | |
Prednisone 2.5–10 mg/day | 12 (55%) | 3 (19%) | |
Adalimumab 40 mg/fortnight | 0 | 2 (12.5%) | |
Infliximab 5 mg/kg (8 weekly) | 0 | 1 (6.3%) | |
Rituximab 1000 mg × 2 every 6 months | 0 | 1 (6.3%) | |
Disease activity | Median (range) | Median (range) | |
Tender joint count (68) | 3 (0–48) | 6.5 (0–17) | |
Swollen joint count (66) | 1 (0–14) | 2.5 (0–26) | |
Tender joint count (28) | 2 (0–14) | 2 (0–8) | |
Pain VAS (mm) | 19 (1–100) | 14.5 (2–23) | |
Global VAS (mm) | 16 (0–100) | 16 (2–49) | |
HAQ score | 0.25 (0–2.4) | 0.32 (0–2.25) | |
PF-SF-36 | 70 (15–100) | 70 (0–85) | |
ESR (mm/h)* | 12 (1–53) | 12 (3–86) | |
CRP (mg/l) | 3.3 (1–27) | 3.8 (1–208) | 1 (1–15) |
DAS28 – CRP3v | 2.76 (1.42–5.25) | 3.25 (1.79–4.59) |
↵* Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) obtained in 21 early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
CCP, cyclic citrullinated peptide; DAS 28 – CRP3v, three variable disease activity score (tender and swollen joints, C-reactive protein); HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PF-SF-36, physical function component of the short form 36 score; VAS, visual analogue scale.