Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with rituximab
Age (years) | 62 (1.8) |
Female (%) | 61 |
Disease duration (years) | 15 (2.8) |
Previous therapies | Â |
   Number of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs used | 2.6 (1 to 5) |
   Number of biologic agents used | 1.6 (0 to 3) |
Baseline disease characteristics | Â |
   Rheumatoid factor-positive (%) | 52 |
   Disease activity score of 28 joint counts | 6.3 (0.2) |
   Swollen joints (28 joints) | 9.3 (1.1) |
   Tender joints (28 joints) | 12.8 (1.3) |
   Patient's pain assessment | 69.7 (2.9) |
   Patient's global assessment | 67.3 (3.3) |
   Physician's global assessment | 54.8 (3.4) |
   Health Assessment Questionnaire | 0.9 (0.09) |
   Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/hour) | 51 (6.1) |
   Hemoglobin (g/dl) | 12.9 (0.4) |
Concomitant disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs | Â |
   Methotrexate |  |
Patients (%) | 68 |
Dose (mg/week) | 16.3 (7.5 to 25) |
   Leflunomide |  |
Patients (%) | 29 |
Dose (mg/day) | 17 (10 to 20) |
   Glucocorticoids |  |
Patients (%) | 29 |
Dose (mg/day) | 5.5 (5 to 10) |
   Rituximab monotherapy | 3 |