Table 1 Patient characteristics of MDA groups and of total study population

Age

50.1 ± 14

50.4 ± 13

52.8 ± 14

Male

57 (61)

41 (53)

44 (45)

Symptom duration in years

0.9 (0.2–2.4)

0.8 (0.3–1.5)

1.6 (0.4–4.1)

 Swollen joint count (66)

1 (1–3)

3 (1–4)

2 (0–6)^$

 Tender joint count (68)

1 (0–3)

3 (2–7)*

5 (3–12)^$

 LEI

0 (0–0)

0 (0–1)*

1 (0–2)^$

 HAQ

0.13 (0.00–0.63)

0.63 (0.38–0.89)*

0.88 (0.63–1.38)^$

 PASI

1.5 (0.4–3.8)

2.3 (0.3–4.1)

3 (1.2–6.1)^$

 VAS global

21 (9–37)

46 (24–66)*

55 (40–70)^$

 VAS pain

17 (9–44)

47 (30–63)*

56 (44–74)^$

 Any DMARD

62 (66)

63 (82)*

85 (88)^$

 Methotrexate

57 (61)

61 (79)*

79 (81)^$

 Sulfasalazine

8 (9)

14 (18)

23 (24)^$

 Hydroxychloroquine

4 (4)

11 (14)

8 (8)

 Leflunomide

8 (9)

8 (10)

17 (18)

 Prednisone (oral)

13 (14)

14 (18)

18 (19)

 Prednisone (intramuscular injection)

11 (12)

21 (27)*

34 (35)^$

 Prednisone (intra-articular injection)

29 (31)

27 (35)

15 (15)^$

 Biological

5 (5)

12 (16)*

16 (16)