Table 1

Characteristics of patients

Group I

Group II

Group III

Group IV

n

37

31

21

24

Age (median, IQR)

43 (31–59)

52 (42–56)

65 (37–72)

60 (50–72)

Gender (male/female)

19/18

13/18

11/10

14/10

IMID* (RA/SA/CD)

13/12/12

16/13/2

0

0

TNF antagonists*

RA (Ifx/Ada/Eta)

11 (0/1/10)

12 (3/2/7)

0

0

SA (Ifx/Ada/Eta)

9 (2/1/6)

13 (8/1/4)

CD (Ifx/Ada/Eta)

11 (11/0/0)

0 (0/0/0)

Previous anti-TB treatment

0

2

0

20

Associated immunosuppressors (MTX/AZA/CT)

17/6/18

14/1/11

0

0

TST (≥10 mm)

0/37

31/31

0/21

24/24

*A few patients were studied at inclusion but not at week 14. Ada, adalimumab; AZA, azathioprine; CD, Crohn's disease; CT, corticosteroids (≤10 mg/day); Eta, etanercept; Ifx, infliximab; IMID, immune-mediated inflammatory disease; IQR, interquartile range; MTX, methotrexate; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SA, spondylarthropathy; TB, tuberculosis; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; TST, tuberculin skin test.

Hamdi et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2006 8:R114   doi:10.1186/ar1994