Tapering csDMARD first (n=94) | Tapering TNF-inhibitor first (n=95) | |||
1 csDMARD (n=64) | >1 csDMARD (n=30) | 1 csDMARD (n=57) | >1 csDMARD (n=38) | |
Baseline characteristics | ||||
Age, mean (SD) | 56.9 (14.1) | 53.9 (14.2) | 57.9 (11.1) | 56.2 (10.0) |
Female, n (%) | 47 (73.4) | 19 (65.5) | 34 (59.7) | 24 (63.2) |
Symptom duration, mean (SD) | 6.54 (3.04) | 6.35 (4.31) | 7.69 (4.80) | 6.05 (3.47) |
RF, n (%) | 33 (55.9) | 16 (59.3) | 36 (67.9) | 20 (57.1) |
ACPA, n (%) | 41 (69.5) | 20 (76.9) | 41 (77.4) | 24 (70.6) |
DAS44, mean (SD) | 1.11 (0.52) | 1.00 (0.64) | 1.07 (0.54) | 0.81 (0.42) |
Boolean remission, n (%) | 23 (35.9) | 8 (26.7) | 22 (38.6) | 13 (34.2) |
Outcomes after 2 years | ||||
Cumulative flare rate, n(%) | 39 (60.9) | 18 (60.0) | 41 (71.9) | 18 (47.4) |
Completed tapering protocol, n (%) | 17 (26.6) | 12 (40.0) | 10 (17.5) | 10 (26.3) |
DMARD free remission, n(%) | 17 (26.6) | 2 (6.7) | 10 (17.5) | 0 (0) |
ACPA, anticitrillunated protein antibody; csDMARD, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; DAS44, disease activity score based on 44 joints; RF, rheumatoid factor; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.