Efficacy of doxycycline as a combination therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine

Table 4 Comparison between MTX-treated and MTX with doxycycline-treated patient groups after 3 months therapy

Variables	Median (IQR), number (percentage)		P value
Variables	After MTX (n = 74)	After MTX plus doxycycline (n = 74)	P value
DAS28-CRP	4.2 (3.6–5)	2.8 (2.3–3.5)	0.005
DAS28-CRP categories
Remission	10 (13.5%)	30 (40.5%)	0.005
Low	3 (4.1%)	22 (29.7%)
Moderate	50 (67.6%)	22 (29.7%)
High	11 (14.9%)	0
ESR (mm/h)	54 (36–76)	26 (9.7–38)	0.005
ESR
Normal	10 (13.5%)	24 (32.4%)	0.006
Abnormal	64 (86.5%)	50 (67.6%)	0.006
CRP (mg/l)	12 (9–16)	9 (3–13)	0.003
CRP
Normal	6 (8.1%)	18 (24.3%)	0.007
Abnormal	68 (91.9%)	56 (75.7%)	0.007

MTX methotrexate, IQR interquartile range, DAS28 Disease activity score, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP C-reactive protein