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

Table 3

Comparison of tuberculin sensitivity among patients taking different doses of methotrexate (𝑛=250).

Dose specific group	Number of patients with TST positivity (%)	Confidence interval	𝑃 value
Control MTX (𝑛=119)	23 (19)	10.83, 27.16	0.135
Group A (𝑛=44)	4 (9)	5.26, 32.73
Group B (𝑛=27)	8 (30)	1.04, 36.95
Group C (𝑛=49)	14 (29)	6.03, 31.97
Group D (𝑛=11)	2 (18)	0.00, 50.15

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.