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

Table 2

Demographic profile of patients grouped according to steroid intake.

	Control S (𝑛=182)	Group I (𝑛=36)	𝑃 value
Age (years) (mean ± SD)	48.0 ± 10.5	47.2 ± 10.9	0.66
Sex ratio (M : F)	01 : 06.3	1 : 08
Smokers, m (%)	39 (21.4)	10 (27.8)	0.41
RF positive, m (%)	126 (69.2)	24 (66.7)	0.76
Disease duration in months (mean ± SD)	85.7 ± 67.1	68.4 ± 52.2	0.089
DAS28 score (mean ± SD)	4.8 ± 1.4	5.1 ± 1.5	0.185
Tuberculin positive, m (%)	45 (24.7)	1 (2.8)	0.002

Control S: patients without any steroid intake within last three months.
Group I: patients with recent steroid intake defined as intake of any dose of steroid in any form (oral, intramuscular, or intra-articular) within 1 week prior to tuberculin test.