Baseline characteristics of patients in the D2T RA and the non–D2T RA groups
| Variable | RA n=631 | D2T RA n=35 | Non-D2T RA n=596 | P value |
| Women, n (%) | 489 (77.5) | 29 (82.8) | 460 (77.1) | 0.4 |
| Age, mean (SD), years | 55.1 (15.5) | 45.7 (12.8) | 55.6 (15) | ≤0.001 |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 26.0 (4.7) | 26.9 (4) | 26 (4.7) | 0.37 |
| Positive RF at baseline, n (%) | 526 (83.3) | 24 (68.5) | 502 (84.2) | 0.01 |
| Positive ACPA at baseline, n (%) | 499 (79.0) | 26 (74.2) | 473 (79.3) | 0.47 |
| DAS28 at RA diagnosis, mean (SD) | 4.6 (1.5) | 5 (1.4) | 4.6 (1.5) | 0.11 |
| CRP at RA diagnosis, mean (SD) | 1.9 (5.9) | 1.5 (2.1) | 2 (6) | 0.65 |
| ESR at RA diagnosis, mean (SD) | 30 (22.2) | 28.3 (22.2) | 30.1 (22.3) | 0.65 |
| TJC (0–28) at baseline, mean (SD) | 6.7 (6.5) | 8.9 (7.9) | 6.6 (6.4) | 0.04 |
| SJC (0–28) at baseline, mean (SD) | 6.6 (5.8) | 7.7 (6.5) | 6.5 (5.7) | 0.24 |
| PGHA (mm) at baseline, mean (SD) | 46.9 (26.5) | 59.2 (26.9) | 46.1 (26.3) | ≤0.01 |
| PhGHA (mm) at baseline, mean (SD) | 38.7 (22.1) | 43.8 (20.2) | 38.4 (22.2) | 0.29 |
| Pain VAS (mm) at baseline, mean (SD) | 45.2 (28) | 56.5 (27.7) | 44.1 (1.6) | 0.02 |
| HAQ at RA diagnosis, mean (SD) | 1 (0.7) | 1.3 (0.6) | 1 (0.7) | 0.03 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | ||||
| Hypertension | 124 (19.6) | 5 (14.2) | 119 (19.9) | 0.41 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 93 (14.7) | 10 (28.5) | 83 (13.9) | 0.01 |
| Depression | 36 (5.7) | 4 (11.4) | 32 (5.3) | 0.13 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 34 (5.3) | 2 (5.7) | 32 (5.3) | 0.96 |
| Heart disease | 14 (2.2) | 0 | 14 (2.3) | 0.35 |
| Vascular disease | 33 (5.2) | 1 (0.1) | 32 (5) | 0.72 |
| Liver disease | 8 (1.2) | 2 (5.7) | 6 (1) | ≤0.001 |
| Kidney disease | 4 (0.6) | 0 | 4 (0.6) | 0.62 |
| Lung disease (ILD/COPD) | 18 (2.8) | 1 (2.8) | 17 (2.8) | 0.99 |
| Cancer | 8 (4.4) | 0 | 8 (4.9) | 0.34 |
ACPA, anticitrullinated-protein antibody; BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28, 28-joint Disease Activity Score; D2T RA, difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; ILD, interstitial lung disease; PGA, Patient Global Health Assessment; PhGA, Physician Global Health Assessment; RF, rheumatoid factor; SJC, swollen joint count; TJC, tender joint count; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.