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Rheumatoid arthritis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with CliDR or non-CliDR CliDR (n=32)

non-CliDR (n=113)

P value

Female, n (%)

27 (84.4)

100 (88.5)

0.749 0.945 0.072 0.125 0.914

Age, years, mean±SD

56±13

54±14

Disease duration, years, mean±SD

10±8

10±6

Smoking, n (%)

3 (1.8) 2 (6.3)

2 (9.4)

RA family history, n (%)

10 (8.8) 0.5±0.9 0.5±1.2 2.1±0.3

TJC28, mean±SD SJC28, mean±SD

0±0 0±0

<0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001

DAS28-CRP, mean±SD ESR, mm/hour, mean±SD CRP, mg/L, mean±SD RF positivity, n (%) Anti-CCP positivity, n (%)

1.6±0.2 9.9±4.4 2.8±2.1 18 (56.3) 31 (96.9) 14 (43.8)

29.2±18.9 6.3±6.7 87 (77.0) 109 (96.5) 55 (48.7)

0.020 1.000 0.623 0.576 0.371 1.000 0.499 1.000 1.000 0.391 0.658 0.820 0.830 0.103 0.812 0.687 0.939 0.213 0.553 0.898 0.540 0.860

Extra articular manifestations, n (%)

Rheumatoid nodules, n (%)

1 (3.1) 2 (6.3)

9 (8.0)

Secondary Sjögren’s syndrome, n (%)

16 (14.2) 16 (14.2)

ILD, n (%)

5 (15.6)

Pleuritis, n (%) Vasculitis, n (%) Others, n (%)

1 (3.1)

0 (0)

0 (0)

2 (1.8) 2 (1.8)

1 (3.1)

Comorbidities, n (%)

9 (28.1) 4 (12.5)

41 (36.3)

Diabetes, n (%)

9 (8.0) 3 (2.7)

Hashimoto’s goitre, n (%)

0 (0)

Hypertension, n (%) Osteoporosis, n (%) Osteoarthritis, n (%)

9 (28.1) 5 (16.6) 7 (21.9) 9 (28.1) 8 (25.0) 19 (59.4) 20 (62.5) 14 (43.8) 6 (18.8)

34 (30.1) 34 (30.1) 27 (23.9) 36 (31.9) 29 (25.7) 53 (46.9) 64 (56.6) 48 (42.5) 27 (23.9) 15 (13.3) 89 (78.8)

Others, n (%)

Glucocorticoids, n (%)

csDMARDs

MTX, n (%) LEF, n (%) HCQ, n (%) SASP, n (%)

b/tsDMARDs, n (%)

3 (9.4)

DMARDs combination, n (%) 0.938 Anti-CCP, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; b/tsDMARDs, biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; CliDR, clinical deep remission; CRP, C reactive protein; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; DAS28, 28-joint Disease Activity Score; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; ILD, interstitial lung disease; LEF, leflunomide; MTX, methotrexate; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor; SASP, sulfasalazine; SJC, swollen joint count; TJC, tender joint count. 25 (78.1)

contrast, during the non-tapering period, the hazard for patients in the CliDR group did not differ signifi- cantly from that of the non-CliDR group (HR=0.57, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.62; p=0.292). The significant inter- action indicates that the effect of tapering is attenu- ated in the CliDR group compared with the non-CliDR group. The HR for tapering in the CliDR group is

the product of the HR for tapering in non-CliDR and the interaction HR (8.47×0.26 = 2.20). Although the 95% CI and p value for this product were not directly estimated due to software limitations, the significant interaction term indicates that the effect of tapering is significantly attenuated in the CliDR group compared with the non-CliDR group.

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Li H, et al . RMD Open 2026; 12 :e006387. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2025-006387

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