Window of opportunity to achieve major outcomes in early rheumatoid arthritis patients: how persistence with therapy matters

Table 4 Comparison of patients with versus without sustained function

	Patients with SF at fifth year, n = 84	Patients without SF at fifth year, n = 23	p Value^a
Sociodemographic variables
Female sex, number (%) of patients	73 (86.9)	22 (95.7)	0.46
Age at baseline, yr (mean ± SD)	36.1 ± 12.2	48.5 ± 13.6	0.000
Years of formal education (mean ± SD)	11.3 ± 3.9	9.7 ± 4.2	0.09
Current smokers, number (%) of patients	9 (10.7)	0 (0)	0.2
Disease characteristics at baseline^b
Disease duration, mo	5.3 (3.8–7.5)	3.8 (2.5–6.2)	0.05
Patients with RF, n (%)	69 (82.1)	19 (82.6)	1
Patients with ACCP, n (%)	72 (85.7)	20 (87)	1
DAS28	6 (4.9–6.9)	6.8 (6–7.7)	0.02
HAQ	1.4 (0.8–2)	2.1 (1.6–3)	0.000
Patients with erosions, n (%)	9 (10.7)	2 (8.7)	1
Number (%) of patients with ≥1 comorbidity	65 (77.4)	20 (87)	0.39
Number of comorbidities/patient	1 (1–2)	2 (1–2.8)	0.2
Cumulative treatment characteristics^b
Patients with corticosteroids, n (%)	42 (50)	16 (69.6)	0.11
Number of DMARDs/patient	2.3 (1.9-2.9)	2.4 (2–3)	0.44
Number (%) of patients with ≥1 non-persistence period	57 (76.9)	17 (73.9)	0.8
Follow-up at first non-persistence period,^c mo	13 (1–31)	13 (1–22)	0.25
Persistence duration, mo^d	42 (30–48)	36 (12–48)	0.08

ACCP anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, DAS28 Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, DMARDs disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, HAQ Health Assessment Questionnaire, RF rheumatoid factor, SD standard deviation, SF sustained function
^a p < 0.05 is statistically significant
^bData presented as median (25th–75th interquartile range) unless otherwise indicated
^cRestricted to 74 patients with ≥1 non-persistence period
^dIn the whole population

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