Table 1

Patient characteristics at the beginning of the study, after 12 months of DMARD treatment

All (n=166)DAS<1.6 (n=72)DAS28<2.6 (n=56)DAS28<2.0 (n=22)SDAI≤3.3 (n=28)ACR/EULAR (n=23)
Age, median (IQR)60 (50–72)62 (46–74)57 (44–68)57 (45–67)57 (44–63)56 (45–67)
Female, n (%)121 (73)43 (59)35 (63)11 (50)19 (67)14 (61)
Symptom duration, months, median (IQR)16 (15–18)16 (15–18)16 (15–18)16 (15–18)15 (14–18)16 (15–19)
RF positive, n (%)68 (41)28 (39)26 (46)8 (37)13 (46)11 (47)
28 Swollen joints, median (IQR)3 (1–5)2 (1–3)2 (1–2)1 (0–2)1 (0–1)1 (0–1)
28 Tender joints, median (IQR)1 (0–3)0 (0–0)0 (0–0)0 (0–0)0 (0–0)0 (0–0)
44 Swollen joints, median (IQR)4 (2–7)3 (2–4.5)2 (1–3)2 (0–3)1.5 (0–2)1 (0–2)
44 Tender joints, median (IQR)2 (0–5)0 (0–0)0 (0–1)0 (0–0)0 (0–1)0 (0–1)
VAS PtGA, mm, median (IQR)16.5 (2–42)5 (0–20)3.5 (0–23)2.5 (0–16)0 (0–2)0 (0–2)
VAS pain, mm, median (IQR)20 (3–45)8 (1–21)7.5 (1–21)4 (0–15)1.5 (0–5)1 (0–5)
VAS physician, mm, median (IQR)15 (7–25)10 (5–18)8 (5–18)5 (0–10)4 (0–5)3 (0–5)
VAS GH, mm, median (IQR)20 (10–36)14 (9–24)10 (8–21)10 (8–22)10 (8–20)10 (7–26)
ESR, mm/h, median (IQR)14 (8–23)10 (6–21)8 (4–13)3.5 (2–7)8.5 (4–16)8 (4–17)
CRP, mg/dl, median (IQR)0.25 (0.1–0.4)0.22 (0.12–0.39)0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.13 (0.1–0.29)0.17 (0.1–0.31)0.17 (0.1–0.3)
Methotrexate, n (%)120 (72)51 (70)34 (60)7 (33)15 (53)14 (61)
Steroid, n (%)66 (39)31 (43)30 (54)13 (59)13 (46)12 (52)
Outcome measures
HAQ score, median (IQR)0.125 (0–0.75)0 (0–0.25)0 (0–0.25)0 (0,0.125)0 (0–0.18)0 (0–0.25)
HAQ≤0.5, n (%)113 (68.5)62 (86.1)49 (87.5)21 (95.4)27 (96.4)22 (95.6)
Absent PDPS, n (%)107 (64)50 (69)43 (77)19 (86)25 (90)21 (91)
  • Data are presented for the overall population and separately for groups of patients fulfilling different remission criteria.

  • ACR/EULAR, American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism; CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS, disease activity score; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrolcyte sedimentation rate; GH, global health; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; PDPS, power Doppler-positive synovitis; PtGA, patient's global assessment; RF, rheumatoid factor; SDAI, simplified disease activity index; VAS, visual analogue scale.