Table 1 Baseline demographics and disease characteristics

Female, n (%)

101 (54.6)

77 (54.2)

24 (55.8)

Age, years

38.0 (10.8)

38.3 (11.1)

37.2 (10.1)

Symptom duration, years

10.0 (8.9)^b

10.5 (9.4)^c

8.3 (6.6)^d

HLA-B27 positive, n (%)

145 (78.4)

114 (80.3)

31 (72.1)

BASDAI (0–10)

6.5 (1.5)

6.4 (1.5)

6.7 (1.5)

ASDAS (0–10)

3.3 (0.8)^e

3.4 (0.8)^f

2.9 (0.6)^d

Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0–10 cm VAS)

6.8 (1.8)

6.8 (1.9)

6.8 (1.8)

Physician Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0–10 cm VAS)

5.7 (1.6)^g

5.6 (1.6)

6.1 (1.7)^h

Total back pain (0–10 cm VAS)

6.9 (1.8)

6.8 (1.8)

7.3 (1.5)

BASFI (0–10)

4.7 (2.1)^g

4.7 (2.2)ⁱ

4.8 (2.0)

Inflammation/morning stiffness^j (0–10 cm VAS)

6.6 (2.0)

6.6 (2.1)

6.7 (1.7)

Elevated baseline CRP,^k n (%)

48 (33.6)^l

48 (46.2)^m

0

CRP, ^k mg/L

7.2 (11.0)

9.0 (12.0)

1.4 (1.1)

SPARCC MRI score, SIJ

4.9 (9.7)ⁿ

6.3 (10.7)^c

0.4 (0.5)^h

SPARCC MRI score, spine

4.3 (5.8)^o

5.5 (6.1)^p

0.5 (0.6)^h

HAQ-S (0–3)

1.0 (0.6)

1.0 (0.5)

1.1 (0.6)

BASMI linear (0–10)

2.7 (1.2)^g

2.7 (1.3)ⁱ

2.7 (1.1)