Baseline characteristics of both tapering groups
| Tapering csDMARDs first (n=94) | Tapering TNF-inhibitor first (n=95) | |
| Demographic | ||
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 55.9 (14) | 57.2 (11) |
| Aged above 65, n (%) | 22 (23) | 25 (26) |
| Gender, female, n (%) | 67 (71) | 58 (61) |
| Quality of life | ||
| EQ-5D index, mean (SD) | 0.86 (0.12) | 0.87 (0.11) |
| Disease characteristics | ||
| Symptom duration (years), median (IQR) | 6.0 (4.3–8.5) | 6.3 (4.1–8.9) |
| RF positive, n (%) | 49 (57) | 56 (64) |
| ACPA positive, n (%) | 61 (72) | 65 (75) |
| DAS, mean (SD) | 1.1 (0.6) | 1.0 (0.5) |
| Use of csDMARDs * | ||
| MTX, n (%) | 89 (95) | 84 (88) |
| SASP, n (%) | 10 (11) | 12 (13) |
| HCQ, n (%) | 24 (26) | 37 (39) |
| Leflunomide, n (%) | 2 (2) | 4 (4) |
| Use of TNF-inhibitors | ||
| Etanercept, n (%) | 52 (55) | 52 (55) |
| Adalimumab, n (%) | 36 (39) | 40 (43) |
| Other, n (%) † | 6 (7) | 3 (3) |
| Worker-related outcomes | ||
| Paid work, n (%) ‡ | 47 (61) | 52 (68) |
| Working hours per week, mean (SD) | 28 (8) | 29 (11) |
*Some patients used a combination of conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs).
†Certolizumab or golimumab.
‡Number of patients with paid work and aged under 65.
ACPA, anticitrullinated protein antibody; DAS, disease activity score based on 44 joints; EQ-5D, European Quality of life questionnaire with 5 dimensions; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; MTX, methotrexate; RF, rheumatoid factor; SASP, salazopyrine; ; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.