Longitudinal effect of MTX plus bDMARD combination therapy compared with bDMARD monotherapy
| Outcome | DAS28* β (95% CI) | RAPID3* β (95% CI) | DAS28 <2.6† OR (95% CI) | RAPID3 ≤3.0† β (95% CI) | SJC* β (95% CI) | ESR* β (95% CI) | TJC* β (95% CI) | PGA* β (95% CI) |
| Basic model‡ | −0.39 (−0.65 to −0.13) | −0.60 (−1.71 to 0.52) | 1.63 (1.10 to 2.42) | 1.17 (0.53 to 2.57) | −1.10 (−2.10 to −0.19) | −2.59 (−5.60 to 0.41) | −0.47 (−1.75 to 0.82) | −0.11 (−0.59 to 0.38) |
| Adjusted model§ | −0.42 (−0.67 to −0.17) | −0.58 (−0.65 to 049) | 1.55 (1.03 to 2.31) | 1.16 (0.55 to 2.42) | −0.91 (−1.77 to −0.06) | −1.90 (−4.87 to 1.08) | −0.52 (−1.84 to 0.80) | ¶ |
*Linear longitudinal generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were used for continuous outcomes; numbers shown are continuous status scores.
†Logistic longitudinal GEE models were used for binominal variables; numbers shown are ORs.
‡Non-adjusted model.
§Model of each component was adjusted for a priori selected possible confounders: age, gender, drugs for comorbidities (1/0), oral glucocorticosteroids (1/0) and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
¶No result; model failed to converge.
**Statistical significant results shown in bold.
DAS28, 28-joint Disease Activity Score; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MTX, methotrexate; PGA, patient global assessment; RAPID3, Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3; SJC, swollen joint count; TJC, tender joint count; bDMARD, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.