Table 1 Patient characteristics before IPTW

Age, years

65.5 ± 15.2

67.8 ± 10.9

0.85

57.5 ± 17.9

64.9 ± 15.7

0.09

Sex (male, female)

(2, 27)

(5, 25)

0.42

(3, 24)

(9, 19)

0.10

BMI, kg/m2

23.1 ± 4.6

22.6 ± 2.9

0.96

21.5 ± 3.8

22.7 ± 4.2

0.23

Disease duration, years

5 [1.1–12]

3.8 [0.8–9]

0.33

8 [2–16]

4.5 [1.8–12]

1

eGFR (mL/min)

61.5 ± 18.1

63.6 ± 13.8

0.83

72.1 ± 17.9

70.6 ± 11.2

0.65

Positive for RF- no (%)

26 (89.7)

21 (72.4)

0.18

25 (92.6)

23 (82.1)

0.42

Positive for ACPA - no (%)

20 (69.0)

24 (82.8)

0.36

24 (88.9)

22 (78.6)

0.25

MTX use at baseline - no (%)

21 (72.4)

16 (53.3)

0.18

16 (59.3)

20 (71.4)

0.40

MTX dose, mg/week

6 [0–10]

4 [0–8]

0.21

4 [0–8]

6 [0–10]

0.25

GC use at baseline - no (%)

14 (48.3)

15 (50)

1

15 (55.6)

16 (57.1)

1

Prednisolone dose,　mg/day

0 [0–2.5]

1 [0–5]

0.21

1 [0–4]

2 [0–5]

0.65

Previous bDMARDs - no (%) (0/1/≧2)

18/8/3

(62.1/27.6/10.3)

18/9/3

(57.1/32.2/10.7)

1

13/8/6

(46.4/28.6/25.0)

9/14/5

(33.3/48.2/18.5)

0.36

66-Swollen joint count

3 [2–6]

4 [2.8–7]

0.77

3 [2–5]

3 [2–6.8]

0.59

68-Tender joint count

3 [2–6.5]

2.5 [1–4.3]

0.2

2 [1–4]

2 [1.3–6.8]

0.52

PtGA, VAS, mm

52 [32–79]

57.5 [29.8–73.5]

0.89

62 [49–79]

61.5 [37–86.3]

0.83

Patient pain, VAS, mm

48 [25.5–68]

50 [20.8–74.3]

0.85

63 [37–84]

63 [27.3–85.5]

0.68

PGA, VAS, mm

49 [35.5–64]

41.5 [33.5–53.5]

0.33

35 [22–55]

40 [31.5–55.3]

0.32

HAQ-DI

0.88 [0.25–1.5]

0.56 [0.22–1]

0.10

1.1 [0.25–1.75]

1 [0.28–1.97]

0.65

CRP, mg/L

6.1 [1–18.7]

16.8 [1.3–45.3]

0.16

9.1 [2.2–14.7]

4.2 [0.9–17.9]

0.61

ESR, mm/h

33 [15.5–61.5]

39 [27.3–87]

0.29

22[13–46]

19.5 [8.3–52]

0.48

DAS28-CRP

3.88 ± 0.89

3.96 ± 1.09

0.71

3.86 ± 0.86

4.01 ± 1.10

0.63

DAS28-ESR

4.61 ± 1.02

4.67 ± 1.05

0.67

4.37 ± 1.01

4.36 ± 1.43

0.87

CDAI

18.5 ± 6.1

18.0 ± 6.4

0.69

18.0 ± 9.8

20.6 ± 9.5

0.22

SDAI

19.8 ± 7.1

20.4 ± 8.3

0.82

18.9 ± 9.9

22.5 ± 11.2

0.26