Baseline characteristics comparing patients treated and not treated with MTX at baseline
| All patients (n=330) | MTX at baseline (n=148) | No MTX at baseline (n=182) | P value* | |
| Female gender, n (%) | 224 (67.9) | 95 (64.2) | 129 (70.9) | 0.200 |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 62.0 (11.6) | 63.4 (11.6) | 60.9 (11.4) | 0.054 |
| Disease duration (years), mean (SD) | 11.2 (9.6) | 9.3 (7.8) | 12.9 (10.3) | 0.007 |
| ESR, mean (SD)† | 18.7 (17.6) | 19.3 (16.8) | 18.1 (18.5) | 0.60 |
| SJC (0–28), mean (SD)† | 2.3 (3.5) | 1.5 (2.7) | 3.2 (3.9) | <0.001 |
| TJC (0–28), mean (SD)† | 4.1 (5.5) | 3.0 (5.1) | 5.2 (5.8) | 0.004 |
| DAS28-ESR, mean (SD) | 3.3 (1.4) | 3.1 (1.3) | 3.5 (1.4) | 0.001 |
| RAPID3 total score (0–30), mean (SD) | 11.5 (6.2) | 10.1 (6.2) | 12.6 (6.0) | <0.001 |
| RAPID3 function (0–10), mean (SD) | 2.5 (1.9) | 2.1 (1.8) | 2.8 (2.0) | <0.001 |
| VAS pain (0–10), mean (SD) | 4.3 (2.6) | 3.9 (2.5) | 4.7 (2.5) | 0.004 |
| PGA (0–10), mean (SD) | 4.7 (2.4) | 4.2 (2.5) | 5.1 (2.4) | <0.001 |
| n drugs for comorbidities, mean (SD) | 1.1 (1.7) | 1.2 (1.8) | 1.0 (1.7) | 0.390 |
| ≥1 drug for comorbidities, n (%) | 137 (41.5) | 56 (37.8) | 81 (44.5) | 0.220 |
| NSAIDs, n (%) | 130 (39.4) | 53 (35.8) | 77 (42.3) | 0.230 |
| Oral steroids, n (%) | 117 (35.5) | 51 (34.5) | 66 (36.3) | 0.730 |
| MTX dosage, median (IQR), mg/week‡ | – | 15 (10–20) | – | |
| bDMARDs, n (%) | ||||
| No bDMARD§ | 104 (31.5) | 77 (52.0) | 27 (14.8) | |
| TNFi¶ | 185 (56.1) | 62 (41.9) | 123 (67.6) | <0.001 |
| No TNFi** | 41 (12.4) | 9 (6.1) | 32 (17.6) |
*χ2 test for categorical variables; independent samples t-test for continuous variables, statistical significant differences between treated and not treated with MTX at baseline are shown in bold
†n=213 patients. n (%) for categorical variables. Mean±SDs are presented above for normally distributed variables.
‡Subcutaneous MTX was used in 15% of the cases where MTX was used.
§Patients (n=27) neither on bDMARDs nor on MTX were treated with leflunomide, sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine.
¶TNFi includes: etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, golimumab.
**No TNFi includes: rituximab, abatacept, tocilizumab.
DAS28-ESR, 28-joint Disease Activity Score (four variables, ESR based); ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MTX, methotrexate; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PGA, patient global assessment; RAPID3, Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3; SJC, swollen joint count; TJC, tender joint count; TNFi, tumour necrosis factor inhibitors; VAS, visual analogue scale; bDMARD, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.