Fig. 1

Percentages of patients with high psychological stress measured by MHI-5 (a) and obtained mean PSS-10 scores (b) in patients who at presentation with CSA had elevated versus normal CRP levels, did or did not have MRI-detected subclinical joint inflammation and patients who did and did not progress to clinical arthritis over time. In A the percentage of patients with high perceived psychological stress by MHI-5 (score < 52) are shown. These were not significantly different between patients with elevated versus normal CRP (7/43 versus 17/154), with or without MRI-detected inflammation (11/97 versus 12/92) and between patients who did and did not progress to clinical arthritis over time (4/39 versus 20/158)). In B the values of psychological stress by PSS-10 are shown. These results were similar. In A whiskers indicate standard error and in B whiskers indicate standard deviation