Baseline patient characteristics
| At baseline | At tocilizumab discontinuation | |||||
| Add-on (n=49) | Switch (n=53) | P values | Add-on (n=49) | Switch (n=53) | P values | |
| Age, years | 57.5 (11.5) | 54.4 (13.7) | 0.15 | – | – | |
| Female, N (%) | 44 (90) | 47 (89) | 0.97 | – | – | |
| Disease duration, years | 3.6 (3.4) | 3.5 (2.9) | 0.09 | – | – | |
| RF positivity, N (%) | 34 (71)† | 40 (82)‡ | 0.24 | – | – | |
| TJC28 | 6.1 (4.2) | 6.9 (5.5) | 0.46 | 0.3 (0.6) | 0.5 (1.0) | 0.28 |
| SJC28 | 5.4 (3.4) | 7.0 (4.4) | 0.04 | 0.3 (2.6) | 0.2 (0.5) | 0.62 |
| TJC68 | 9.5 (7.3) | 8.9 (8.1) | 0.69 | 0.4 (0.7) | 0.5 (1.4) | 0.53 |
| SJC66 | 6.3 (4.1) | 10.1 (8.1) | 0.004 | 0.4 (0.9) | 0.3 (0.7) | 0.31 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 1.0 (1.2) | 1.2 (2.2) | 0.56 | 0.09 (0.49) | 0.02 (0.45) | 0.06 |
| ESR, mm/h | 46 (23) | 38 (27) | 0.54 | 6 (5) | 6 (4) | 0.60 |
| PGA, mm | 48 (21) | 47 (24) | 0.98 | 12 (14) | 9 (11) | 0.24 |
| EGA, mm | 48 (21) | 47 (18) | 0.87 | 5 (5) | 6 (12) | 0.64 |
| DAS28-ESR | 4.9 (1.0) | 5.0 (1.1) | 0.66 | 1.4 (0.6) | 1.4 (0.6) | 0.78 |
| HAQ-DI | 0.84 (0.55) | 0.89 (0.64) | 0.74 | 0.32 (0.36) | 0.31 (0.73) | 0.98 |
| MMP-3, mg/dL | 190 (180) | 159 (179) | 0.74 | 55 (29) | 55 (32) | 0.73 |
Values are presented as mean (SD) unless otherwise stated.
*P<0.05.
†n=48.
‡n=49.
CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28, disease activity score for 28 joints; EGA, evaluator global assessment; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; PGA, patient global assessment; RF, rheumatoid factor; SJC, swollen joint count; TJC, tender joint count.