Characteristics of the RA patients studied
| EAC n=738 | ESPOIR n=533 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean±SD | 57.2±15.7 | 48.8±11.9 |
| Gender, n (%) | 484 (65.6) | 404 (75.8) |
| Symptom duration at first visit, weeks, median (IQR) | 18.7 (9.3–35.3) | 21.3 (13.4–33.5) |
| SJC, median (IQR) | 8.0 (4.0–13.5) | 7.0 (4.0–12.0) |
| RF-positive, n (%) | 430 (58.7) | 309 (58.0) |
| ACPA-positive, n (%) | 370 (52.4) | 268 (50.3) |
| ESR, mm/h, median (IQR) | 31.0 (17.0–50.0) | 24.0 (12.0–44.5) |
| Initiated DMARD, n (%) | ||
| Methotrexate | 563 (76.3) | 357 (67.0) |
| Sulfasalazine | 100 (13.6) | 62 (11.6) |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 63 (8.5) | 64 (12.0) |
| Leflunomide | – | 30 (5.6) |
| Other DMARDs* | 12 (1.6) | 20 (3.8) |
Missing data were as follows: in the EAC, SJC n=17, RF n=5, ACPA n=37, ESR n=6; in ESPOIR, ESR n=5.
*Including glucocorticoids.
ACPA, anticitrullinated peptide antibody; DMARD, disease modifying antirheumatic drug; EAC, Early Arthritis Clinic; ESPOIR, Evaluation et Suivi de POlyarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor; SJC, swollen joint count.