Predictors of a placebo response in patients with hand osteoarthritis: post-hoc analysis of two randomized controlled trials

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with hand OA who received placebo in the two randomized controlled trials

Baseline characteristics	RCT 1 (n = 102)	RCT 2 (n = 41)	p-value
Age, years	59.2 ± 8.0	61.7 ± 18.9	0.305
Female, n (%)	95 (93.1)	39 (95.1)	0.496
Weight, kg	59.1 ± 8.0	60.4 ± 8.9	0.398
Height, cm	157.0 ± 6.0	156.0 ± 6.3	0.348
Body mass index, kg/m²	23.9 ± 2.9	24.7 ± 2.8	0.129
Duration of hand OA, months	31.5 ± 47.7	60.4 ± 61.1	0.009
Baseline
AUSCAN pain score (1–100)	47.8 ± 19.8	48.9 ± 25.9	0.788
AUSCAN stiffness score (1–100)	60.6 ± 21.7	63.9 ± 27.6	0.504
AUSCAN function score (1–100)	45.7 ± 23.7	41.7 ± 27.1	0.382
Patient global assessment (1–100)	49.6 ± 15.9	60.8 ± 19.4	0.002
Physician global assessment (1–100)	41.0 ± 13.0	42.6 ± 10.5	0.471
Tender joint count	6.3 ± 5.1	5.5 ± 5	0.400
Swollen joint count	0.9 ± 2.4	0.0 ± 0.3	0.000
Palpable node count	5.2 ± 2.5	N/A
Deformed joint count	2.0 ± 1.7	N/A
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, mm/hr	12.9 ± 9.4	16.1 ± 11.6	0.086
hs-CRP, mg/dL (normal < 0.5 mg/dL)	0.12 ± 0.26	0.21 ± 0.76	0.317
Prior treatment, n (%)		N/A
Acetaminophen/Tramadol	10 (9.8)
Acetaminophen	1 (1.0)
NSAIDs	36 (35.3)
Glucosamine	13 (12.7)
Diacerein	3 (2.9)
Others	3 (2.9)

Data are presented as the mean (SD) or n (%). AUSCAN Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index; CRP C-reactive protein, ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, N/A Not available, NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, OA Osteoarthritis, RCT Randomized controlled trial.

ISSN: 1471-2474