Table 1

Patient's characteristics

Adalimumab

n = 17

Placebo

n = 15

Age (years; Mean +/-SD)

15.1 +/- 1.5

15.5 +/- 1.7

Gender female (%)

7 (41%)

8 (53%)

Duration since diagnosis (years; Mean +/- SD)

0.9 +/- 1.1

2.5 +/- 2.8

Duration since first symptoms (years; Mean +/-SD)

2.3 +/- 1.5

4.0 +/- 3.1

Family history with ankylosing spondylitis

6 (35.3%)

6 (40.0%)

HLA B27 positive

10/14 (71.4%)

9/11 (81.8%)

Previous treatment courses

Conventional NSAIDs

17 (100%)

15 (100%)

Coxibes

5 (29.4)

4 (26.7)

Corticosteroids, oral

Corticosteorids, intraarticular

4 (23.5)

6 (35.3)

9 (60%) #

6 (40)

Methotrexate

4 (23.5)

6 (40)

Sulfasalazine

4 (23.5)

7 (46.7)

Concomitant medication

Conventional NSAIDs

14 (82.4%)

14 (93.3%)

Coxibes

1 (5.9%)

Corticosteroids, oral

3 (17.6%)

5 (33.3%)

No. of active joints mean (SD)

3.8 (2.6)

4.9 (5.1)

No. of joints with LOM mean (SD)

2.2 (2.6)

4.7 (5.9)

BASDAI Spinal inflammation mean (SD)

4.29 (1.97)

5.24 (2.34)

BASDAI Total score mean (SD)

4.75 (1.30)

5.45 (1.50)

Back pain at any time mean (SD)

6.0 (1.4)

7.2 (1.6)*

Back pain at night mean (SD)

5.3 (2.4)

4.9 (2.6)

Pain score mean (SD)

5.65 (1.58)

6.07 (1.46)

Patient's Global NRS mean (SD)

5.94 (1.85)

6.87 (1.88)

Physical function (BASFI) mean (SD)

3.85 (1.80)

4.17 (2.31)

Physical function (CHAQ) mean (SD)

0.993 (0.420)

0.958 (0.397)

Physician's Global NRS mean (SD)

5.59 (1.77)

6.07 (2.19)

Parent's Global NRS mean (SD)

5.94 (1.39)

6.07 (2.19)

Back pain at any time mean (SD)

6.0 (1.4)

5.60 (2.06)

#A higher proportion of patients of the placebo cohort had received oral corticosteroids (U-test, P = 0.04). *Back pain at any time was the only significantly different clinical item between both treatment groups.

Horneff et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R230   doi:10.1186/ar4072