Table 2 Comparison between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients regarding the different parameters

Cumulative dose Cs/gram^a

10.58 (0.3–109.3)

7.5 (0–70.2)

U = 92.0

0.423

TJC (0–28)

7.5 (0–25)

0.5 (0–4)

U= 13.50

< 0.001^a

SJC (0–28)

3.5 (0–13)

1 (0–6)

U= 53.0

0.013^a

0 (0–4)

2 (0–12)

U = 73.50

0.110

SLEDAI-2K score

8 (1–28)

6.5 (0–42)

U = 87.0

0.313

SLEDAI MSK (0/4)

0 (0–4)

0 (0–4)

U = 85.0

0.275

Anti-dsDNA level

17.7 (14.5–36.1)

31.2 (14.3–389)

U= 60.50

0.031^a

C3 level

117.43 ± 19.62

101.19 ± 31.04

t = 1.684

0.103

C4 level

27.27 ± 6.69

19.63 ± 9.32

t= 2.546

0.017^a

ACPA level

7.55 (5.7–268)

8.15 (4.3–12.1)

U = 111.50

0.984

GLOESS

2 (0–16)

1 (0–17)

U = 81.500

0.208

No. of joints with effusion/US

1.5 (0–6)

0 (0–5)

U= 64.50

0.047^a

No. of joints with erosions/US

0 (0–2)

0 (0–2)

U = 103.0

0.728

No. of joints with SH/US

2 (0–9)

1 (0–9)

U = 80.50

0.193

PD index/US

0 (0–2)

0 (0–2)

U = 108.0

0.443

No. of pathologic tendons/US

1 (0–5)

0 (0–3)

U= 64.0

0.047^a