Characteristics of the study populations.
| Characteristic | Palpation-Guided Injection | Ultrasound-Guided Injection | Difference, % | 95% CI | p (uncorrected) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. subjects | 120 | 124 | +3 | −3 to +3 | 0.5 |
| Age, yrs, SD | 52.8 ± 13.6 | 49.6 ± 15.4 −3% | −4 | −13 to +1 | 0.09 |
| Women, % | 93 (111/120) | 95 (118/124) 2% | +7 | −4 to +10 | 0.3054 |
| Subjects who completed study, % (n) | 100 (120/120) | 100 (124/124) | 0 | −3 to +3 | 0.5 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis, % (n) | 76 (91/120) | 75 (93/124) | −1 | −15 to +13 | 0.82 |
| Mean ACR functional status25 | 1.8 ± 0.8 | 1.9 ± 1.0 | +6 | −6 to +17 | 0.36 |
| Small joints (fingers/toes), % (n) | 3 (4/120) | 4 (5/124) | +33 | −142 to +184 | 0.87 |
| Intermediate joints (ankle, wrist, elbow), % (n) | 50 (60/120) | 52 (64/124) 4% | +4 | −22 to +28 | 0.80 |
| Large joints (knee, shoulder, hip), (n) | 47 (56/120) | 44 (55/124) | −2 | −31 to +22 | 0.72 |
| Preprocedure baseline pain, mean VAS, cm | 7.5 ± 1.5 | 7.7 ± 2.0 | +3 | −3 to +9 | 0.4 |
ACR: American College of Rheumatology; VAS: visual analog scale.