Baseline characteristics of patients starting their first or second TNF inhibitor.
| Characteristics | First TNF Inhibitor, n = 543 | Second TNF Inhibitor, n = 123 |
|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs, median (IQR) | 42 (33–51) | 43 (35–49) |
| Men, n (%) | 335 (62) | 66 (54) |
| Time from diagnosis, yrs, median (IQR) | 7.7 (2.8–15) | 7.9 (3.7–15) |
| Year of treatment onset, median (IQR) | 2007 (2006–2009) | 2009 (2007–2011) |
| Drug treatment, n (%) | ||
| Infliximab | 127 (23) | 10 (8) |
| Etanercept | 261 (48) | 41 (33) |
| Adalimumab | 155 (29) | 72 (59) |
| Methotrexate | 266 (49) | 55 (45) |
| Sulfasalazine | 244 (45) | 41 (33) |
| Leflunomide | 27 (5) | 2 (2) |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 26 (5) | 1 (1) |
| Oral corticosteroids | 158 (29) | 23 (19) |
| CRP, mg/ml, median (IQR) | 10 (5.0–21) | 5.0 (3.0–10) |
| Patient’s global assessment, VAS mm, median (IQR) | 52 (31–70) | 44 (18–61) |
| VAS pain, mm, median (IQR) | 60 (34–72) | 48 (19–65) |
| Physician’s global evaluation, VAS mm, median (IQR) | 38 (22–56) | 18 (6–38) |
| Peripheral arthritis, n (%) | 293 (54) | 50 (41) |
| BASDAI, median (IQR) | 5.8 (4.1–7.3) | 5.2 (2.8–6.8) |
| BASFI, median (IQR) | 4.0 (2.5–5.4) | 3.6 (1.9–5.1) |
| ASDAS, median (IQR) | 3.3 (2.6–3.9) | 2.8 (1.8–3.5) |
TNF: tumor necrosis factor; IQR: interquartile range; VAS: visual analog scale; CRP: C-reactive protein; BASDAI: Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index; BASFI: Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; ASDAS: Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score.