Steroids Decrease Prevalence of Positive Tuberculin Skin Test in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Implications on Anti-TNF Therapies

Table 1

Demographic profile of patients grouped according to methotrexate dose.

	Control MTX (𝑛=119)	Group A (𝑛=44)	Group B (𝑛=27)	Group C (𝑛=49)	Group D (𝑛=11)
Age (years) (mean ± SD)	46.1±10.5	46.2±10.9	48.7±11.2	50.7±11.4	43.4±11.1
Sex ratio (M : F)	01 : 07.5	01 : 03.9	01 : 03.5	1 : 06	1 : 10
Smokers, m (%)	24 (20.2)	12 (27.3)	3 (11.1)	15 (30.6)	3 (27.3)
RF positive, m (%)	86 (72.3)	34 (77.3)	14 (51.8)	32 (65.3)	7 (63.6)
Disease duration in months (mean ± SD)	76.4±62.6	60.4±55.0	87.5±66.2	107.5±70.4	74.2±28.8
DAS 28 score (mean ± SD)	5.4±1.4	4.1±1.2	3.9±1.0	4.3±1.2	4.3±1.2

Control MTX: patients who had not taken MTX.
Group A: patients on MTX < 7.5 mg/week.
Group B: patients on MTX > 7.5–15 mg/week.
Group C: patients on MTX > 15–22.5 mg/week.
Group D: patients on MTX > 22.5 mg/week.