Demographic characteristics and baseline variables
| Examination cohort (n=3157 with 23 987 visits) | Validation cohort (n=3154 with 24 160 visits) | P values | |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 52.0 (13.8) | 52.0 (13.8) | 0.96 |
| Female, n (%) | 1746 (55.3) | 1686 (53.5) | 0.14 |
| 66 swollen joint count, mean (SD)/median (25th,75th percentile) | 2.3 (4.1)/0 (0,3) (n=1449) | 2.4 (4.4)/0 (0,3) (n=1450) | 0.55 |
| 28 swollen joint count, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 1.3 (2.5)/0 (0,2) (n=3157) | 1.3 (2.4)/0 (0,2) (n=3154) | 0.53 |
| 68 tender joint count, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 6.7 (9.2)/3 (0,9) (n=1510) | 6.8 (9.3)/4 (0,9) (n=1506) | 0.42 |
| 28 tender joint count, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 3.4 (5.2)/1 (0,5) (n=3157) | 3.3 (5.0)/1 (0,4) (n=3154) | 0.45 |
| Patient’s global, 0–100 VAS scale, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 46.4 (29.6)/48 (20, 71) (n=2732) | 45.9 (29.0)/46 (20, 70) (n=2728) | 0.53 |
| Evaluator’s global, 0–100 VAS scale, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 16.7 (15.8)/12 (5, 24) (n=2792) | 16.8 (15.6)/12 (5, 24) (n=2806) | 0.83 |
| Patient’s pain, 0–100 VAS scale, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 41.0 (26.9)/ 38 (19, 63) (n=2664) | 40.3 (26.4)/ 37 (18, 61) (n=2670) | 0.68 |
| CRP, mg/L, mean (SD)/ median (25th,75th percentile) | 8.6 (16.0)/4 (2, 9) (n=2780) | 8.4 (13.0)/4 (2, 10) (n=2754) | 0.73 |
| SDAI, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 11.9 (9.9)/9.4 (4.5, 16.3) (n=2200) | 11.5 (9.7)/9 (2, 16) (n=2189) | 0.22 |
| CDAI, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 11.0 (9.5)/8.7 (4.0, 15.3) (n=2427) | 10.7 (9.2)/8.3 (4.0, 14.9) (n=2436) | 0.33 |
| DAS28CRP, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 3.1 (1.3)/3.0 (2.1, 4.0) (n=2483) | 3.1 (1.3)/2.9 (2.1, 4.0) (n=2455) | 0.16 |
| HAQ, mean (SD)/median (25th, 75th percentile) | 0.7 (0.6)/0.6 (0.1, 1.1) (n=2610) | 0.7 (0.6)/0.6 (0.1, 1.0) (n=2593) | 0.30 |
CDAI, clinical disease activity index; CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28CRP, 28-joint disease activity score with CRP; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; SDAI, simplified disease activity index; VAS, visual analogue scale.