Contribution of inflammation markers and quantitative sensory testing (QST) indices of central sensitisation to rheumatoid arthritis pain

Table 4 Multivariable models exploring the relationship between pain severity and markers of disease activity, pain sensitivity, and anthropometric variables

Multivariate models		Pain severity
		Summated pain score
		(0–30)
		β
Markers of Disease Activity	DAS28-CRP (0-9.4)	0.45***
	US-Combined (0–48)	0.10
	Adjusted R²	0.22***
Markers of Disease Activity and Pain Sensitivity	DAS28-CRP (0-9.4)	0.44***
	US-Combined (0–48)	0.12
	TS (0–10)	0.13
	CPM (kPa)	-0.14
	Adjusted R²	0.26***
Discrete Markers of Inflammation and Pain Sensitivity	CRP (mg/l) †	0.42***
	SJC (0–28) †	0.21*
	US-SH (0–48) †	0.19
	US-PD (0–48) †	-0.08
	TS (0–10)	0.13
	CPM (kPa)	-0.02
	Adjusted R²	0.24***
Markers of Disease Activity Pain Sensitivity and Anthropometric Variables	DAS28-CRP (mg/l)	0.46***
	US-Combined (0–48)	0.11
	TS (0–10)	0.15
	CPM (kPa)	-0.13
	Age (y)	0.10
	Sex (f)	0.10
	BMI (kg/m²)	-0.02
	Adjusted R²	0.26***

β: standardised regression coefficients, BMI: Body-Mass Index, CPM: Conditioned Pain Modulation, CRP: C-Reactive Protein, DAS28: Disease Activity Score – 28 Joints, kPa: kiloPascals, mg/l: milligrams per litre, PPT: Pain Pressure Detection Threshold, SJC: Swollen Joints Count, TJC: Tender Joints Count, TS: Temporal Summation, US-Combined: Ultrasound – Combined EULAR-OMERACT Score, US-PD: Ultrasound – Power Doppler, US-SH: Ultrasound – Synovial Hypertrophy
† Variables are distinct components of DAS28, taken to indicate inflammation without being influenced by pain severity
All p-values have been corrected for multiple comparisons (Benjamini-Hochberg)
Values in bold indicate statistical significance. * ≤0.05, ** <0.01, ***<0.001

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