Table 1 Patient baseline characteristics (n = 150)

Gender, N (%)

Female

39 (95.12)

46 (86.79)

55 (98.21)

0.0546

140(93.33)

Male

2 (4.88)

7 (13.21)

1 (1.79)

10(6.67)

Age (yrs.), mean ± SD

53.73 ± 16.04

54.58 ± 13.03

53.14 ± 10.37

0.847

53.81 ± 12.98

Weight (kg), mean + SD

75.60 ± 17.24

72.70 ± 17.91

77.84 ± 14.63

0.2721

75.41 ± 16.60

Duration of illness (yrs.), mean ± SD

10.07 ± 6.16

12.79 ± 6.50

10.91 ± 5.62

0.1032

11.35 ± 6.16

Duration of treatment (yrs.), mean ± SD

4.42 ± 2.55

6.01 ± 2.48

2.42 ± 1.52

< 0.0001

4.24 ± 2.67

Glucocorticoids, N (%)

5 (12.20)

4 (7.55)

6 (10.71)

0.7877

15(10.00)

NSAIDS, N (%)

10 (24.39)

10 (18.87)

9 (16.07)

0.5702

29(19.33)

Comorbidities, N (%)

Diabetes

12 (29.27)

15 (28.30)

13 (23.21)

0.7982

40(26.66)

Hypertension

16 (39.02)

16 (30.19)

14 (25)

0.3277

46(30.67)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

3 (7.32)

2 (3.77)

0

0.0764

5(3.33)

Dyslipidemia

5 (12.20)

8 (15.09)

11 (19.64)

0.6138

24(16)

Asthma

4 (9.76)

5 (9.43)

5 (8.93)

1.0000

14(9.33)

Hypothyroidism

10 (24.39)

13 (24.53)

9 (16.07)

0.487

32(21.33)

Hyperthyroidism

0 (0)

0 (0)

1 (1.79)

1.000

1(0.67)

Depression

1 (2.44)

0

0

0.2733

1(0.67)

Obstructive apnea

4 (9.76)

0

0

0.005

4(2.67)

Morning stiffness, (N%)

11 (26.83)

8 (15.09)

6 (10.71)

0.1102

25(16.67)

Pain, (N%)

11 (26.83)

16 (30.19)

11 (19.64)

0.4407

38(25.33)

Labs, mean ± SD

ESR (mm/hr), mean ± SD

44.97 ± 23.67

49.41 ± 29.57

37.39 ± 27.20

0.0004

43.71 ± 27.49

CRP (mg/dL), mean ± SD

8.75 ± 9.006

6.76 ± 9.84

7.41 ± 9.80

0.1947

7.55 ± 9.57

ALT (U/L)

26.93 ± 15.08

27.05 ± 52.91

38.82 ± 52.91

0.1357

31.42 ± 35.04

AST (U/L)

17.95 ± 9.09

19.88 ± 11.46

22.43 ± 14.02

0.1837

20.31 ± 11.99

HCT (%)

37.24 ± 3.92

39.03 ± 3.51

40.24 ± 11.33

0.1566

38.99 ± 7.56

HGB (g/L)

121.53 ± 14.3

126.56 ± 20.33

126.41 ± 22.47

0.3950

125.13 ± 19.76

Pts (platelets X 10⁹/L)

293.65 ± 102.59

276.16 ± 75.64

260.12 ± 93.45

0.1977

274.96 ± 90.69

RBC (X10¹²/L)

4.51 ± 0.49

4.67 ± 0.51

4.57 ± 0.43

0.2287

4.59 ± 0.48

WBC (X10⁹/L)

7.28 ± 2.72

6.52 ± 1.69

6.20 ± 2.53

0.0768

6.61 ± 2.35

Cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.75 ± 0.82

4.81 ± 1.03

5.28 ± 1.12

0.0855

4.99 ± 1.03

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.28 ± 0.58

1.28 ± 0.4

1.38 ± 0.65

0.5513

1.32 ± 0.56

HDL (mmol/L)

1.43 ± 0.26

1.39 ± 0.21

1.44 ± 0.26

0.5692

1.43 ± 0.25

LDL (mmol/L)

2.83 ± 0.51

2.98 ± 0.60

3.22 ± 1.31

0.1136

3.04 ± 0.92