Table 1

Clinical characteristics of patients

Characteristic

n = 10

Gender, female/male

7/3

Age in years, range (mean)

48-74 (65.0)

Disease duration in years, range (mean)

1-18 (10.6)

CRP in mg/dL, range (mean)

0.05-3.34 (0.66)

ESR in mm/hour, range (mean)

1-83 (20.8)

Rheumatoid factor, positive/negative

9/1

Anti-CCP antibody in U/mL, range (mean)

0.6-100 (37.8)

MMP-3 in ng/mL, range (mean)

38.9-525.7 (222)

Steinbrocker stage, I/II/III/IV

0/5/3/2

Patients using DMARDs and biologics

Methotrexate

7

Infliximab

1

Etanercept

2

FK506

2

Patients using oral steroids

5

Anti-CCP, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide; CRP, C-reactive protein; DMARD, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MMP-3, matrix metalloproteinase-3.

Ikuta et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R87   doi:10.1186/ar3811