Patients’ characteristics.
| Characteristic | RA, n = 18 | OA, n = 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age, yrs (range) | 61 ± 12 (31–77) 66 ± | 11 (52–85) |
| Sex, M/F | 3/15 | 4/8 |
| Mean disease duration, yrs (range) | 13 ± 10 (1–34) | NA |
| Mean serum CRP, mg/dl (range) | 1.1 ± 1.0 (0.2–3.5) | < 0.1 |
| Rheumatoid factor, +/− | 13/5 | 0/12 |
| Treatment | ||
| DMARD, +/− | 15/3 | 0/12 |
| Prednisolone, +/− | 9/9 | 0/12 |
| Radiological grade (no. cases)* | Larsen | Kellgren-Lawrence |
| 0 (1) | 0 (0) | |
| I (1) | 1 (1) | |
| II (4) | 2 (8) | |
| III (5) | 3 (2) | |
| IV (7) | 4 (1) | |
| V (0) |
↵* Radiological grade of joints from which samples were obtained. NA: not applicable.