Using a DAS28-CRP-steered treat-to-target strategy does not eliminate subclinical inflammation as assessed by ultrasonography in rheumatoid arthritis patients in longstanding clinical remission

Table 2 Proportion of patients in ultrasound remission, according to different ultrasound remission definitions as well as different clinical remission criteria

Patients in DAS28CRP-remission
	All patients (n = 87)	csDMARD group (n = 45)	bDMARD group (n = 42)	Difference between treatment groups (p value)
Ultrasound strict remission	6 (7%)	0 (0%)	6 (14%)	0.01
Ultrasound semi-strict remission	32 (37%)	15 (33%)	17 (40%)	0.50
Ultrasound Doppler remission	49 (56%)	26 (58%)	23 (55%)	0.78
Patients in ACR-EULAR Boolean-remission*
	All patients (n = 67)	csDMARD group (n = 34)	bDMARD group (n = 33)	Difference between treatment groups (p value)
Ultrasound strict remission	6 (9%)	0 (0%)	6 (18%)	0.01
Ultrasound semi-strict remission	25 (37%)	12 (35%)	13 (39%)	0.73
Ultrasound Doppler remission	38 (57%)	21 (62%)	17 (49%)	0.40
Patients in SDAI-remission
	All patients (n = 65)	csDMARD patients (n = 34)	bDMARD patients (n = 31)	Difference between treatment groups (p value)
Ultrasound strict remission	6 (9%)	0 (0%)	6 (19%)	0.007
Ultrasound semi-strict remission	26 (40%)	13 (38%)	13 (50%)	0.76
Ultrasound Doppler remission	38 (59%)	22 (58%)	16 (51%)	0.29

Values are given as number of patients and percentage. Comparison between groups by Pearson chi-square with p < 0.05 considered significant
Ultrasound strict remission no joints with GS score > 0 and Doppler score > 0, ultrasound semi-strict remission no joints with GS score > 1 and Doppler score > 0, ultrasound Doppler remission no joints with Doppler score > 0. csDMARD conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, bDMARD biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, GS grey scale
*Patients in ACR-EULAR Boolean-remission are identical to patients in CDAI-remission

ISSN: 1478-6362