Initial combination therapy versus step-up therapy in treatment to the target of remission in daily clinical practice in early rheumatoid arthritis patients: results from the DREAM registry

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients in both cohorts

Characteristics	Cohort I (n = 128)	Cohort II (n = 128)	P value
Female sex, n (%)	79 (61.7 %)	79 (61.7 %)	1.00
Age, years, mean ± SD	59.1 ± 13.0	59.5 ± 12.8	0.81
DAS28-ESR, mean ± SD	4.5 ± 1.1	4.8 ± 1.1	0.02
ESR, mm/h, median (IQR)	22.0 (14.0–41.0)	29.0^a (14.0–45.0)	0.20
CRP, mg/L, median (IQR)	10.0^b (5.0–22.0)	11.5 (4.3–24.8)	0.79
Anti-CCP–positive, n (%)	74^c (58.3 %)	77^c (60.2 %)	0.93
RF-positive, n (%)	62 (48.4 %)	76 (59.4 %)	0.11
SJC, n, median (IQR)	6.0 (3.0–9.0)	5.0 (2.0–10.0)	0.24
TJC, n, median (IQR)	3.0 (1.0–7.0)	4.0 (2.0–10.0)	0.03
HAQ-SDI, median (IQR)	1.19^d (0.88–1.63)	1.0^e (0.38–1.50)	<0.01
VAS well-being, median (IQR)	50.0 (28.3–65.0)	51.0 (35.0–70.0)	0.29
VAS pain, median (IQR)	50.0^f (39.8–64.0)	62.0^g (49.0–75.0)	<0.01
SF-36-PCS, mean ± SD	38.1 ± 7.6^h	37.3 ± 9.2ⁱ	0.51
SF-36-MCS, mean ± SD	40.7 ± 7.4^j	44.9 ± 11.9^k	0.00
BMI, kg/m², mean ± SD	26.5 ± 4.8^l	26.0 ± 4.1^m	0.39

DAS28-ESR Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP C-reactive protein, TJC tender joint count, SJC swollen joint count, HAQ-SDI Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (standard scoring), SF-36 36-item Short Form Health Survey (version 2), PCS Physical Component Summary, MCS Mental Component Summary, BMI body mass index, RF rheumatoid factor, CCP cyclic citrullinated peptide, VAS visual analogue scale
^a n = 127
^b n = 121
^c n = 127
^d n = 102
^e n = 87
^f n = 122
^g n = 72
^h n = 105
ⁱ n = 86
^j n = 105
^k n = 86
^l n = 126
^m n = 119

ISSN: 1478-6362