Comparing the effects of methotrexate monotherapy and 3-drug therapy (methotrexate, cyclosporine, and prednisolone) in achieving remission scores in the individual components of DAS28 at 24 months when taking serological status into account. Except for p values, data are n (%).
| Serological Status | Treatment Regimens | TJC at 24 Months | SJC at 24 Months | ESR at 24 Months | PGA at 24 Months | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1 | p | < 1 | p | ≤ 20 | p | ≤ 10 | p | ||
| RF-IgM-negative | Monotherapy | 4/8 (50) | NS | 1/4 (25) | NS | 7/15 (47) | NS | 4/6 (67) | NS |
| 3-drug | 4/8 (50) | 3/4 (75) | 8/15 (53) | 2/6 (33) | |||||
| RF-IgM-positive | Monotherapy | 37/87 (43) | NS | 16/42 (38) | NS | 42/89 (47) | NS | 17/41 (42) | NS |
| 3-drug | 50/87 (58) | 26/42 (62) | 47/89 (53) | 24/41 (59) | |||||
| ACPA-negative | Monotherapy | 14/25 (56) | NS | 5/10 (50) | NS | 12/27 (44) | NS | 7/13 (54) | NS |
| 3-drug | 11/25 (44) | 5/10 (50) | 15/27 (56) | 6/13 (46) | |||||
| ACPA-positive | Monotherapy | 27/70 (39) | 0.015 | 12/36 (33) | 0.033 | 37/76 (49) | NS | 14/34 (41) | NS |
| 3-drug | 43/70 (61) | 24/36 (67) | 39/76 (51) | 20/34 (59) | |||||
TJC: tender joint count; SJC: swollen joint count; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; PGA: patient global assessment; RF-IgM: rheumatoid factor-IgM isotype; ACPA: anticitrullinated protein antibodies; NS: not significant; DAS28: 28-joint Disease Activity Score.