Patient characteristics according to the subgroup classification at week 24
| Reference group (N=337) | Non-responders (N=102) | Persisting pain (N=128) | |
| Female, n (%) | 233 (69.1) | 65 (63.7) | 87 (68.0) |
| ACPA positivity, n (%) | 187 (55.5) | 43 (42.2) | 73 (57.0) |
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 57.1 (13.2) | 59.9 (12.0) | 57.1 (13.0) |
| Disease duration, years, mean (SD) | 2.5 (2.6) | 2.7 (2.8) | 2.5 (2.5) |
| DAS28-CRP, mean (SD) | 4.9 (0.9) | 4.9 (1.0) | 5.3 (1.0) |
| PD-Q score | 14.0 (6.8) | 287 | 15.5 (7.1) | 78 | 15.5 (6.5) | 111 |
| PD-Q (NeP positive), n (%) | 82 (28.6) | 287 | 32 (41.0) | 78 | 40 (36.0) | 111 |
| RAID | 5.8 (2.0) | 332 | 6.0 (1.9) | 100 | 6.6 (1.7) | 125 |
| PHQ-9 | 7.3 (5.1) | 328 | 8.4 (5.4) | 98 | 7.9 (5.1) | 123 |
| HAQ-DI | 1.1 (0.7) | 333 | 1.2 (0.6) | 101 | 1.3 (0.6) | 125 |
| PCS | 19.7 (12.4) | 328 | 21.5 (12.3) | 96 | 24.1 (12.5) | 123 |
| VAS pain (0–100), mean (SD) | 68.3 (13.0) | 69.0 (12.8) | 73.8 (13.0) |
| NRS disease activity (0–10), mean (SD) | 6.7 (1.5) | 6.9 (1.4) | 7.2 (1.4) |
| csDMARDs,1 n (%) | 143 (42.4) | 50 (49.0) | 63 (49.2) |
| csDMARDs,2 n (%) | 232 (70.3) | 330 | 67 (65.7) | 83 (66.9) | 124 |
| bDMARDs,1 n (%) | 41 (12.2) | 15 (14.7) | 19 (14.8) |
| bDMARDs,2 n (%) | 84 (25.5) | 330 | 36 (35.3) | 37 (29.8) | 124 |
| tsDMARDs,1 n (%) | 6 (1.8) | 2 (2.0) | 1 (0.8) |
| tsDMARDs,2 n (%) | 27 (8.2) | 330 | 5 (4.9) | 9 (7.3) | 124 |
| Glucocorticoids,1 n (%) | 130 (38.6) | 49 (48.0) | 62 (48.4) |
| Glucocorticoids,2 n (%) | 227 (68.8) | 330 | 73 (71.2) | 94 (75.8) | 124 |
| NSAIDs,1 n (%) | 141 (41.8) | 42 (41.2) | 46 (35.9) |
| NSAIDs,2 n (%) | 79 (23.9) | 330 | 28 (27.5) | 24 (19.3) | 124 |
| Coxibs,1 n (%) | 41 (12.2) | 14 (13.7) | 22 (17.2) |
| Coxibs,2 n (%) | 25 (7.6) | 330 | 8 (7.8) | 11 (8.9) | 124 |
| Opioids,1 n (%) | 7 (2.1) | 4 (3.9) | 6 (4.7) |
| Opioids,2 n (%) | 11 (3.3) | 330 | 4 (3.9) | 6 (4.8) | 124 |
| Antidepressants,1 n (%) | 8 (2.4) | 4 (3.9) | 7 (5.5) |
| Antidepressants,2 n (%) | 4 (1.2) | 330 | 1 (1.0) | 4 (3.2) | 124 |
| Adj. pain therapy,* n (%) | 26 (7.9) | 330 | 15 (14.7) | 23 (18.5) | 124 |
Table 1 presents the characteristics of the patients assigned to the respective subgroups at week 24. If data were missing, the number of patients with valid data is also presented. Given the escalation/initiation of anti-inflammatory treatment at baseline, this table presents frequencies for treatment categories until baseline(1) and the treatment prescribed at baseline(2).
*Adjunctive pain therapy includes any type of non-drug pain treatment documented from baseline but not until baseline.
ACPA, anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies; bDMARDs, biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; CRP, C reactive protein; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; DAS28, Disease Activity Score 28; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; NeP, neuropathic pain; NRS, Numerical Rating Scale; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PCS, Pain Catastrophising Scale; PD-Q, painDETECT Questionnaire; PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire 9; RAID, Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease Questionnaire; tsDMARDs, targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.