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Table 2 Time-course changes in biochemical, clinical, and functional measures during 15-month anti-TNF-α therapy

From: Effects of a 15-month anti-TNF-α treatment on plasma levels of glycosaminoglycans in women with rheumatoid arthritis

 

Time after starting anti-TNF-α therapy

T0 (baseline)

T1 (3 months)

T2 (9 months)

T3 (15 months)

Women with RA, n (%)

29 (100)

Age (years), mean (SD)

44.38 (14.17)

Disease duration (years), median (IQR)

5 (3–8)

BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD)

21.25 (2.28)

RF positive, n (%)

29 (100)

Anti-CCP positive, n (%)

29 (100)

SJC28, median (IQR)

6 (5–10)

3 (2–3)a, c, d

0 (0–1)a, b

0 (0–0)a, b

TJC28, median (IQR)

14 (10–20)

5 (3–7)a, c, d

2 (1–2)a, b, d

0 (0–1)a, b, c

VAS, median (IQR)

80 (80–80)

50 (35–55)a, c, d

25 (10–30)a, b, d

10 (5–20)a, b, c

DAS28 ESR, mean (SD)

5.99 (0.50)

4.00 (0.73)a, c, d

2.74 (0.72)a, b, d

2.06 (0.64)a, b, c

 Disease activity, n (%)

  High (> 5.1)

29 (100)

2 (6.90)

0

0

  Moderate (> 3.2 and ≤ 5.1)

0

24 (82.76)

6 (20.69)

0

  Low (≤ 3.2 and > 2.6)

0

3 (10.34)

12 (41.38)

6 (20.69)

  Remission (≤ 2.6)

0

0

11 (37.93)

23 (79.31)

ESR (mm/h), median (IQR)

15.0 (10.0–31.0)

10.0 (8.0–17.0)

10.0 (8.0–14.0)a

11.0 (8.0–14.0)a

CRP (mg/l), median (IQR)

5.0 (4.0–9.2)

4.0 (2.0–4.0)

3.0 (1.30–4.0)a

2.0 (1.0–4.0)a

TNFαI therapy, n (%)

 Etanercept (Enbrel)

13 (44.83)

 Adalimumab (Humira)

14 (48.27)

 Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)

2 (6.90)

  1. Differences noted for all variables (except DAS28 ESR) considered significant at p < 0.0083 by applying Bonferroni correction. Differences noted for DAS28 ESR considered significant at p < 0.001
  2. anti-CCP anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, BMI body mass index, CRP C-reactive protein, DAS28 Disease Activity Score based on evaluation of 28 joints, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, IQR interquartile range, RA rheumatoid arthritis, RF rheumatoid factor, SD standard deviation, SJC28 swollen joint count of 28 joints, TJC28 tender joint count of 28 joints, TNF-α tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNFαI tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, VAS Visual analog scale
  3. aStatistically significant differences compared to T0
  4. bStatistically significant differences compared to T1
  5. cStatistically significant differences compared to T2
  6. dStatistically significant differences compared to T3