Fig. 2

Assessment of disease activity. DAS28 value, HAQ score, ESR and CRP level before and after MSCT for the groups. a DAS28 value; b HAQ score; c serum ESR; d serum CRP level; e changes in prednisone acetate dosage after MSCT in the response group; each dot represents one patient in the response group (n = 23). *P < 0.05, versus the response group before MSCT; ^&P < 0.05, versus the no-response and control groups according to one-way ANOVA. The error bars indicate the SEM. CRP C-reactive protein, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate