CRP and rheumatoid arthritis: Although outcome studies have identified RA-related factors (eg, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate/C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor, shared epitope (SE) positivity and extra-articular disease) to be associated with an adverse prognosis in RA in terms of radiographic damage or disability,6 to date few studies have examined the effect of such factors on treatment outcome.