Changes in clinical disease activity are weakly linked to changes in MRI inflammation on treat-to-target escalation of therapy in rheumatoid arthritis

Table 2 Clinical and imaging scores at Visit 1 and Visit 2 (4 months later)

	Total (N = 84)				Group A (N = 57)				Group B (N = 27*)				Median two-sample test p value
	N	Median	Minimum	Maximum	N	Median	Minimum	Maximum	N	Median	Minimum	Maximum	Median two-sample test p value
Clinical scores at Visit 1
Tender 28 joints	84	11	1	28	57	10	1	28	27	14	1	28	0.050
Swollen 28 joints	84	4	0	20	57	4	0	11	27	6	0	20	0.097
HAQ	84	1.06	0	2.5	57	0.88	0	2.13	27	1.38	0.13	2.5	0.037
DAS28_CRP	84	4.5	3.24	6.64	57	4.24	3.24	6.04	27	5.15	3.36	6.64	0.003
MRI scores at Visit 1
Synovitis	77	3	0	9	51	3	0	9	26	4	0	9	0.102
Tendonitis	77	3	0	15	51	3	0	15	26	3	0	15	0.931
Osteitis	77	2	0	34	51	2	0	34	26	3	0	24	0.021
Erosion	76	5	0	50	50	4	0	50	26	9	1	47	0.030
Total inflammation	77	9	0	45	51	8	0	45	26	13	1	36	0.050
X-ray scores at Visit 1
Erosions	62	13	0	130	42	5.5	0	112	20	33.5	0	130	0.001
Total SvdH score	62	35.5	0	217	42	20.5	0	217	20	63	0	209	0.031
Clinical scores at Visit 2
Tender 28 joints	72	6	0	28	48	5	0	28	24	7	0	24	0.399
Swollen 28 joints	72	1	0	20	48	1	0	20	24	0.5	0	9	0.337
HAQ	72	0.63	0	2.13	48	0.5	0	2	24	0.75	0	2.13	0.155
DAS28_CRP	72	3.47	1.42	6.64	48	3.28	1.42	6.64	24	3.66	1.42	5.49	0.047
MRI scores at Visit 2
Synovitis	66	3	0	9	42	3	0	9	24	3	0	8	0.851
Tendonitis	66	2.5	0	15	42	2	0	15	24	3	0	12	0.612
Osteitis	68	2	0	34	44	2	0	32	24	3.5	0	34	0.102
Erosion	67	6	0	50	43	4	0	50	24	9.5	1	47	0.009
Total inflammation	66	9	1	53	42	9	1	43	24	9	1	53	1.000

*Includes the four patients who transitioned from Group A to Group B on escalation of therapy (see text)
DAS28 _CRP disease activity score (28 joints) incorporating C-reactive protein, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, SvdH Sharp van der Heijde, HAQ Health assessment questionnaire

ISSN: 1478-6362