Time to achieve remission determines time to be in remission

Table 1 Demographic and baseline disease characteristics of patients (n = 753)

Variable and range of values	Patients included
Age (mean [SD], years)	54 [14]
Women (n [%])	477 [63%]
Rheumatoid factor positive (n [%])	578 [77%]
Disease duration (median [IQR], weeks)	0 [0-4]
DAS (mean [SD])	3.98 [1.28]
DAS28 (mean [SD])	5.07 [1.32]
HAQ score (median [IQR])	0.63 [0.25-1.19]
ESR (median [IQR], mm/h)	29 [16-48]
CRP (median [IQR], mg/L)	12 [1.7-37]
44 swollen joint count (median [IQR])	13 [8-18]
53 tender joint count (median [IQR])	10 [5-17]
VAS pain, 0-100 (mean [SD], mm)	44 [23]
Patient's global assessment, 0-100 (mean [SD], mm)	46 [24]
VAS GH, 0-100 (mean [SD], mm)	44 [22]
Physicians global assessment, 0-100 (mean [SD], mm)	34 [18]
Morning stiffness (median [IQR], min)	30 [0-90]

DAS = disease activity score based on 53 tender joint counts (Ritchie Articular Index) and 44 swollen joint counts; DAS28 = disease activity score based on 28 tender and swollen joint counts; HAQ = health assessment questionnaire; ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP = C-reactive protein; VAS = visual analogue scale.IQR = interquartile range, P25-P75; SD = standard deviation.

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