Table 1

Number of arthritis patients in DANBIO and characteristics of RA patients at first registration according to ever and never treatment with TNF-I

Ever treated with TNF-I*Never-treated with TNF-I
No of arthritis patients
 All combined53454351
 RA33473812
 Ankylosing spondylitis861136
 Psoriatic arthritis656224
 Other arthritides481179
Characteristics of RA patients at start of follow-up
 Mean age at start of follow-up, years (range)54.3 (15–87)61.2 (15–92)
 Mean age at diagnosis, years44.951.8
 No of men (%)902 (27)998 (26)
Calendar year of inclusion
 2000–137992
 2002–356146
 2004–594862
 2006–710692807
 2008390805
 No of IgM RF seropositive† (%)2411 (80)2593 (74)
 Mean disease duration, years (range)10.7 (0–59)8.9 (0–68)
 Proportion with disease duration <2 years18.7%31.6%
 Mean no of tender joints of 28 count† (range)9.6 (0–28)4.1 (0–28)
 Mean no of swollen joints of 28 count† (range)7.4 (0–28)2.8 (0–28)
 Mean HAQ score† (range)1.3 (0–9.6)0.7 (0–3.0)
 Mean CRP, mg/l† (range)27.0 (0–363)15.2 (0–232)
 Mean DAS28† (range)5.1 (1.2–8.5)3.5 (1.0–8.4)
  • *The number of rheumatoid arthriris (RA) patients ever treated with adalimumab was 1529 (46%), etanercept 1488 (44%) and infliximab 1617 (48%).

  • †Patients with missing values were not included. The percentage of patients with missing values was as follows (ever tumour necrosis factor α inhibitor (TNF-I) treated, never-treated): number of IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) seropositive (9.7%, 8.4%), number of tender joints (7.3%, 3.5%), number of swollen joints (5.7%, 3.3%), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score (18.1%, 16.6%), C-reactive protein (CRP) (6.4%, 12.3%), disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) (20.4%, 29.4%).