Patient characteristics at baseline*
| Rituximab+
MTX All Exposure (n=3194) | Rituximab+ MTX >5 years (n=627) | Placebo+MTX (n=818) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 51.5 | 51.8 | 51.0 |
| Female (%) | 80.8 | 80.1 | 80.4 |
| Disease duration (years) | 8.3 | 11.1 | 7.1 |
| Swollen joint count | 20.0 | 21.5 | 17.7 |
| Tender joint count | 31.1 | 32.4 | 28.6 |
| CRP (mg/dl) | 2.83 | 3.37 | 2.83 |
| ESR (mm/h) | 47.1 | 46.1 | 45.2 |
| DAS28-ESR | 6.64 | 6.78 | 6.32 |
| RF-positive (%) | 77.6 | 85.3 | 81.3 |
| Number of previous biologicals or DMARDs† | 2.2 | 3.1 | 1.9 |
| Number of previous biologicals | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Baseline concomitant corticosteroids (%) | 52.4 | 55.0 | 53.2 |
*Baseline characteristics were the observed mean values of the original baseline, where original baseline was the screening or baseline visit in the patient's original study.
†Excluding MTX.
CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28, disease activity score in 28 joints; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MTX, methotrexate; RF, rheumatoid factor.