Variables*

MS absent in both evaluations

(n = 67)

MS present in the 1^st evaluation and absent in the 2^nd (n = 9)

MS absent in the 1^st evaluation and present in the 2^nd (n = 38)

MS present in both evaluations (n = 73)

P

Age at 1^st evaluation (years)

51.5 ± 12.6^a

60.2 ± 8.6^ab

51.9 ± 9.6^a

56.5 ± 9.7^b

0.008

Gender

0.074

Male

16 (23.9)

1 (11.1)

2 (5.3)

10 (13.7)

Female

51 (76.1)

8 (88.9)

36 (94.7)

63 (83.6)

BMI

1^st evaluation

24.4 ± 4.2^a

27.3 ± 6.0^ab

26.1 ± 3.1^a

29.7 ± 5.3^b

<0.001

2^nd evaluation

25.4 ± 5.3^a

26.9 ± 6.1^ab

27.5 ± 3.8^ab

29.1 ± 5.2^b

<0.001

Delta

1.01 ± 2.56^b

−0.41 ± 2.64^ab

1.38 ± 3.31^b

−0.59 ± 2.81^a

0.001

DAS-28

1^st evaluation

3.5 ± 1.5^a

3.6 ± 1.4^ab

4.3 ± 1.5^b

4.0 ± 1.3^ab

0.032

2^nd evaluation

3.3 ± 1.3

4.5 ± 2.4

3.7 ± 1.1

3.5 ± 1.3

0.052

Delta

−0.2 ± 1.7

0.9 ± 2.4

−0.6 ± 1.6

−0.5 ± 1.6

0.076

Moderate/high disease activity (>3.2)

1^st evaluation

38 (56.7)

6 (66.7)

31 (81.6)

51 (69.9)

0.067

2^nd evaluation

32 (47.8)

6 (66.7)

25 (65.8)

38 (52.1)

0.276

Dose of Prednisone

1^st evaluation

5 (0 - 10)^ab

0 (0 - 6.3)^a

10 (0 - 10)^b

0 (0 - 10)^a

0.031

2^nd evaluation

0 (0 - 5)

0 (0 - 3.2)

0 (0 - 5.6)

0 (0 - 5)

0.506

Delta

0.0 (−1.0 - 0.0)

0 (0 - 0)

0.0 (−1.0 - 0.0)

0.0 (0.0 - 0.0)

0.539