Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the 256 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

All RA patients

(n = 256)

Anti-CII-negative RA patients

(n = 248)

Anti-CII positive (> 200 AU/ml) RA patients

(n = 8)

P Mann Whitney/chi square

Age at inclusion (years)

56

56

68

NS (0.17)

Female (%: number/total number)

71.5

(183/256)

71.4

(177/248)

75.0 (6/8)

NS (0.82)

Disease duration at inclusion (months)

5.0

5.0

4.5

NS (0.32)

RF-positive, (%; number positive/total number)

63.3

(162/256)

62.9 (158/248)

50.0 (4/8)

NS (0.43)

Anti-CCP2- positive, (%;number positive/total number)

57.8

(148/256)

58.5

(145/248)

37.5

(3/8)

NS (0.24)

Anti-MCV- positive (2 patients missing)

70.9

(180/254)

71.1

(175/246)

62.5 (5/8)

NS (0.60)

CRP (mg/l)

14

14

37

0.0026

ESR (mm/h)

22.0

21.5

40.5

0.0396

Physician's assessment of disease activity (0-4)

2

2

2

NS (0.28)

Number of swollen joints

9.0

9.0

8.5

NS (0.82)

Number of tender joints

7

7

8

NS (0.46)

DAS28

5.005

4.990

5.760

NS (0.08)

Global VAS

45

45

40

NS (0.93)

Pain VAS

45

45

35

NS (0.39)

HAQ

0.880

0.880

1.500

0.0303

Patients starting DMARD therapy at baseline (%)

83.6

(214/256)

83.5 (207/248)

87.5

(7/8)

NS (0.76)

Results are presented as medians and percentages (ratios). Differences between anti-native human collagen type II (anti-CII)-negative and anti-CII-positive patients were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test; differences between proportions were analyzed using the Chi square test or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Anti-CCP, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; Anti-MCV, antibodies against modified citrullinated vimentin; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28, 28-joint disease activity score; VAS, visual analogue scale; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; DMARD, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; NS, not significant.

Mullazehi et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R100   doi:10.1186/ar3825