Table 4 Hazard ratio of treatment discontinuation in the bDMARDs-switched cases (Fine-Gray hazard competing risk regression model, adjusted by baseline age, sex, disease duration, concomitant PSL and MTX usage, starting date, and number of switched bDMARDs)

1

1.3 (0.9–1.8)

1.5 (1.0–2.2)*

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

1.0 (0.7–1.3)

1.3 (0.9–2.0)

0.6 (0.4–0.8)***

0.8 (0.5–1.2)

< 0.001

1

1.8 (1.0–3.1)

0.8 (0.3–2.0)

0.4 (0.2–0.9)*

1.0 (0.6–1.9)

1.2 (0.5–2.7)

1.4 (0.9–2.3)

1.8 (0.9–3.5)

0.004

1

1.2 (0.6–2.2)

0.3 (0.1–1.1)

0.8 (0.4–1.4)

0.8 (0.4–1.5)

0.9 (0.4–2.4)

0.8 (0.5–1.3)

0.6 (0.2–1.5)

0.5

1

0.8 (0.1–5.0)

0.9 (0.1–9.2)

1.4 (0.3–6.1)

1.8 (0.4–7.7)

1.9 (0.4–10.7)

1.5 (0.4–5.4)

2.3 (0.4–13.8)

0.9

1

2.7 (1.6–4.3)***

2.2 (1.4–3.4)**

1.2 (0.8–2.0)

1.4 (1.0–2.1)

2.0 (1.0–3.7)*

0.9 (0.6–1.4)

1.1 (0.6–1.9)

< 0.001