Table 1

Overview of included clinical trials

Study (publication year)Type of GCInitial GC doseTapering scheduleIncluded in meta-analysis
COBRA (1997)5 Prednisolone60 mg/dayIn 7 weeks to 7.5 mg/day. Stop after 28 weeks*No
BeSt (2005)35 Prednisone60 mg/dayIn 7 weeks to 7.5 mg/day. Stop in 8 weeks after week 28 if DAS persistently ≤2.4Yes
IDEA (2014)34 Methylprednisolone250 mg iv onceN.A.No
COBRA-light (2015)36 Prednisolonearm 1 60 mg/day arm 2 30 mg/dayarm 1: in 7 weeks to 7.5 mg/day arm 2: in 9 weeks to 7.5 mg/day
Stop after 32 weeks if DAS <1.6		Yes
IMPROVED (2014)33 Prednisone60 mg/dayIn 7 weeks to 7.5 mg/day. Stop after 20 weeks if DAS <1.6 at 4 monthsYes
ARCTIC (2016)32 Prednisolone15 mg/dayIn 7 weeks to 0 mg/day if DAS <1.6 and no swollen joints presentNo
tREACH (2013)30 Arm 1: methylprednisolone or kenacort arm 2 and 3: prednisonearm 1: 120 mg or 80 mg im once (single dose) arm 2 and3: 15 mg/dayIn 10 weeks to 0 mg/day*No
CareRA (2017)

  • COBRA Classic

  • COBRA Slim

  • COBRA Avant garde 37

Prednisone

  • 60 mg/day

  • 30 mg/day

  • 30 mg/day

  • in 7 weeks to 7.5 mg/day, further tapered from week 28 and stop after 34 weeks

  • in 6 weeks to 5 mg/day, further tapered from week 28 and stop after 34 weeks

  • in 6 weeks to 5 mg/day, further tapered from week 28 and stop after 34 weeks

All if DAS28 (CRP) ≤3.2.		Yes
Hua et al (2020)31 Prednisone10 mg/dayTapering after 4 months to 5 mg/day, stop after 6 months*No
NORD-STAR (2020)
- arm 1 A (oral prednisolone)38 		Prednisolone20 mg/dayIn 9 weeks to 5 mg/day. Stop after 9 months*No

  • *GC tapered and stopped according to protocol, not depending on DAS.

  • CRP, C-reactive protein ; DAS, Disease Activity Score; GC, glucocorticoid; im, intramuscular; iv, intravenous; mg, milligram; N.A, not applicable.