Study Comparing Doses Of An Experimental Glucocorticoid Compound To Prednisone And Placebo In Rheumatoid Arthritis

ACR20 response: greater than or equal to (≥) 90 percent (%) improvement in tender or swollen joint counts and 90% improvement in 3 of the following 5 criteria: 1) physician's global assessment of disease activity, 2) participant's assessment of disease activity, 3) participant's assessment of pain, 4) participant's assessment of functional disability via a health assessment questionnaire, and 5) C-reactive protein at each visit.

ACR50 response: greater than or equal to (≥) 50 percent (%) improvement in tender or swollen joint counts and 50% improvement in 3 of the following 5 criteria: 1) physician's global assessment of disease activity, 2) participant's assessment of disease activity, 3) participant's assessment of pain, 4) participant's assessment of functional disability via a health assessment questionnaire, and 5) C-reactive protein at each visit.

ACR70 response: greater than or equal to (≥) 70 percent (%) improvement in tender or swollen joint counts and 70% improvement in 3 of the following 5 criteria: 1) physician's global assessment of disease activity, 2) subject's assessment of disease activity, 3) subject's assessment of pain, 4) subject's assessment of functional disability via a health assessment questionnaire, and 5) C-reactive protein at each visit.

Twenty-eight tender/painful joint count included the following joints: shoulders, elbows, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints, and knees. Artificial joints were not assessed. These joints were assessed by a joint assessor, who was blinded to the participant's safety data, previous efficacy data and treatment randomization, to determine the number of joints that were considered tender or painful, and swollen.

Twenty-eight tender/painful joint count included the following joints: shoulders, elbows, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints, and knees. Artificial joints were not assessed. These joints were assessed by a joint assessor, who was blinded to the participant's safety data, previous efficacy data and treatment randomization, to determine the number of joints that were considered tender or painful, and swollen.

Twenty-eight tender/painful joint count included the following joints: shoulders, elbows, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints, and knees. Artificial joints were not assessed. These joints were assessed by a joint assessor, who was blinded to the participant's safety data, previous efficacy data and treatment randomization, to determine the number of joints that were considered tender or painful, and swollen.

Twenty-eight tender/painful joint count included the following joints: shoulders, elbows, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints, and knees. Artificial joints were not assessed. These joints were assessed by a joint assessor, who was blinded to the participant's safety data, previous efficacy data and treatment randomization, to determine the number of joints that were considered tender or painful, and swollen.

The CRP was collected at each applicable clinic visit and analyzed by a central laboratory. In order to assist with the data clean-up at the end of the study, the CRP results were unblinded to the sponsor at the time of the last subject's last visit. All statistics presented below are derived from mixed model with fixed effects for treatment, visit, treatment-by-visit interaction and baseline value; unstructured covariance matrix was used.

The CRP was collected at each applicable clinic visit and analyzed by a central laboratory. In order to assist with the data clean-up at the end of the study, the CRP results were unblinded to the sponsor at the time of the last subject's last visit.

Participants answered the following question, "Considering all the ways your arthritis affects you, how are you feeling today?" The subject's response was recorded using a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 mm = no pain and 100 mm = most severe pain.

Participants answered the following question, "Considering all the ways your arthritis affects you, how are you feeling today?" The subject's response was recorded using a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 mm = no pain and 100 mm = most severe pain.

The investigator assessed how the participant's overall arthritis appears at the time of the visit. This was an evaluation based on the participant's disease signs, functional capacity and physical examination, and was independent of the Patient's Global Assessment of Arthritis. The investigator's response was recorded using a 100 mm VAS, where 0 mm = no pain and 100 mm = most severe pain.

The investigator assessed how the participant's overall arthritis appears at the time of the visit. This was an evaluation based on the participant's disease signs, functional capacity and physical examination, and was independent of the Patient's Global Assessment of Arthritis. The investigator's response was recorded using a 100 mm VAS, where 0 mm = no pain and 100 mm = most severe pain.

Participants assessed the severity of their arthritis pain using a 100 mm VAS placing a mark on the scale between 0 (no pain) and 100 (most severe pain), which corresponds to the magnitude of their pain.

Participants assessed the severity of their arthritis pain using a 100 mm VAS placing a mark on the scale between 0 (no pain) and 100 (most severe pain), which corresponds to the magnitude of their pain.

Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI): participant-reported assessment of ability to perform tasks in 8 categories of daily living activities: dress/groom; arise; eat; walk; reach; grip; hygiene; and common activities over past week. Each item scored on 4-point scale from 0 to 3: 0=no difficulty; 1=some difficulty; 2=much difficulty; 3=unable to do. Overall score was computed as the sum of domain scores and divided by the number of domains answered. Total possible score range 0-3 where 0 = least difficulty and 3 = extreme difficulty.

Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI): participant-reported assessment of ability to perform tasks in 8 categories of daily living activities: dress/groom; arise; eat; walk; reach; grip; hygiene; and common activities over past week. Each item scored on 4-point scale from 0 to 3: 0=no difficulty; 1=some difficulty; 2=much difficulty; 3=unable to do. Overall score was computed as the sum of domain scores and divided by the number of domains answered. Total possible score range 0-3 where 0 = least difficulty and 3 = extreme difficulty.

DAS28-3 (CRP) was calculated from the SJC and TJC using the 28 joints count and CRP (mg/L). Total score range: 0 to 9.4, higher score indicated more disease activity. DAS28-3 (CRP) <= 3.2 implied low disease activity and >3.2 to 5.1 implied moderate to high disease activity, and DAS28-3 (CRP) <2.6 = remission.

DAS28-3 (CRP) was calculated from the SJC and TJC using the 28 joints count and CRP (mg/L). Total score range: 0 to 9.4, higher score indicated more disease activity. DAS28-3 (CRP) <= 3.2 implied low disease activity and >3.2 to 5.1 implied moderate to high disease activity, and DAS28-3 (CRP) <2.6 = remission.

DAS28-4 (CRP) was calculated from the SJC and TJC using the 28 joints count and CRP (mg/L). Total score range: 0 to 9.4, higher score indicated more disease activity. DAS28-3 (CRP) <= 3.2 implied low disease activity and >3.2 to 5.1 implied moderate to high disease activity, and DAS28-3 (CRP) <2.6 = remission. All statistics presented below are derived from mixed model with fixed effects for treatment, visit, treatment-by-visit interaction and baseline value; unstructured covariance matrix was used.

DAS28-4 (CRP) was calculated from the SJC and TJC using the 28 joints count and CRP (mg/L). Total score range: 0 to 9.4, higher score indicated more disease activity. DAS28-3 (CRP) <= 3.2 implied low disease activity and >3.2 to 5.1 implied moderate to high disease activity, and DAS28-3 (CRP) <2.6 = remission.

The 36 item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (Versions 2, acute version) is a 36 item generic health status measure. It measures 8 general health concepts: physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. These concepts can also be summarized as physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS). The score for a section is an average of the individual question scores, which are scaled 0-100 (100=highest level of functioning). This questionnaire was completed by the participant prior to any procedures being performed at the visit, if possible. The form was then checked by site staff for completeness.

The 36 item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (Versions 2, acute version) is a 36 item generic health status measure. It measures 8 general health concepts: physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. These concepts can also be summarized as physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS). The score for a section is an average of the individual question scores, which are scaled 0-100 (100=highest level of functioning). This questionnaire was completed by the participant prior to any procedures being performed at the visit, if possible. The form was then checked by site staff for completeness.

The 36 item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (Versions 2, acute version) is a 36 item generic health status measure. It measures 8 general health concepts: physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. These concepts can also be summarized as physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS). The score for a section is an average of the individual question scores, which are scaled 0-100 (100=highest level of functioning). This questionnaire was completed by the participant prior to any procedures being performed at the visit, if possible. The form was then checked by site staff for completeness.

The 36 item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (Versions 2, acute version) is a 36 item generic health status measure. It measures 8 general health concepts: physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. These concepts can also be summarized as physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS). The score for a section is an average of the individual question scores, which are scaled 0-100 (100=highest level of functioning). This questionnaire was completed by the participant prior to any procedures being performed at the visit, if possible. The form was then checked by site staff for completeness.