Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the overall study population, as well as the subgroups of patients unmatched and matched within different calipers
|  | Overall | Matching with caliper = 0.1 | Matching with caliper = 0.2 | Matching with caliper = 0.02 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALL | Matched | Excluded | Matched | Excluded | Matched | Excluded | |
N = 5148 | N = 3258 | N = 1890 | N = 3278 | N = 1870 | N = 3232 | N = 1916 | |
Sexa | |||||||
  Female | 3698 (72%) | 2342 (72%) | 1356 (72%) | 2352 (72%) | 1346 (72%) | 2332 (72%) | 1366 (71%) |
  Male | 1450 (28%) | 916 (28%) | 534 (28%) | 926 (28%) | 524 (28%) | 900 (28%) | 550 (29%) |
Age at treatment startb | 37.7 (30.1–44.7) | 37.3 (30.1–44.3) | 38.5 (31.8–45.6) | 37.2 (30.1–44.4) | 38.7 (31.8–45.4) | 37.4 (30.2–44.5) | 38.3 (31.5–45.1) |
MS duration at treatment startb | 6.9 (3.1–12.5) | 6.4 (2.7–2.0) | 7.9 (4.0–13.4) | 6.4 (2.6–2.0) | 7.9 (4.0–13.4) | 6.3 (2.6–12.0) | 8.1 (4.0–13.3) |
EDSS at treatment starta | |||||||
  Less than 2 | 1556 (30%) | 782 (24%) | 774 (41%) | 810 (25%) | 746 (40%) | 789 (24%) | 767 (40%) |
  Between 2 and 3.5 | 2384 (46%) | 1609 (49%) | 775 (41%) | 1593 (49%) | 791 (42%) | 1588 (49%) | 796 (42%) |
  4 or more | 1208 (23%) | 867 (27%) | 341 (18%) | 875 (27%) | 33 (18%) | 855 (26%) | 353 (18%) |
Number of relapses in the previous 12 monthsa | |||||||
  0 | 1857 (36%) | 1063 (33%) | 794 (42%) | 1085 (33%) | 772 (41%) | 1059 (33%) | 798 (42%) |
  1 | 2021 (39%) | 1290 (40%) | 731 (39%) | 1268 (39%) | 753 (40%) | 1276 (39%) | 745 (39%) |
  2 | 975 (19%) | 690 (21%) | 285 (15%) | 707 (22%) | 268 (14%) | 696 (22%) | 279 (15%) |
  3 or more | 295 (6%) | 215 (7%) | 80 (4%) | 218 (7%) | 77 (4%) | 107 (7%) | 94 (5%) |
Number of previous MS treatmentsa | |||||||
  0 | 836 (16%) | 582 (18%) | 254 (13%) | 580 (18%) | 256 (14%) | 584 (18%) | 252 (13%) |
  1 | 2559 (50%) | 1594 (49%) | 965 (51%) | 1597 (49%) | 962 (51%) | 1558 (48%) | 1001 (52%) |
  2 | 1187 (23%) | 738 (23%) | 449 (24%) | 744 (23%) | 443 (24%) | 748 (23%) | 439 (23%) |
  3 or more | 566 (11%) | 344 (11%) | 222 (12%) | 357 (11%) | 209 (11%) | 342 (11%) | 224 (12%) |
MS activity in the previous 12 monthsa | |||||||
  None | 1438 (28%) | 776 (24%) | 662 (35%) | 782 (24%) | 656 (35%) | 764 (24%) | 674 (35%) |
  Worsening | 419 (8%) | 287 (9%) | 132 (7%) | 303 (9%) | 116 (6%) | 295 (9%) | 124 (6%) |
  Relapse | 2159 (42%) | 1395 (43%) | 764 (40%) | 1398 (43%) | 761 (41%) | 1397 (43%) | 762 (40%) |
  Relapse and worsening | 1132 (22%) | 800 (25%) | 332 (18%) | 795 (24%) | 337 (18%) | 776 (24%) | 356(19%) |
Data sourcea | |||||||
  MS Base | 3293 (64%) | 1874 (58%) | 1419 (75%) | 1882 (57%) | 1411(75%) | 1852 (57%) | 1441 (75%) |
  DMSR | 1444 (28%) | 1167 (36%) | 277 (15%) | 1179 (36%) | 265 (14%) | 1153 (36%) | 291 (15%) |
  OFSEP | 411 (8%) | 217 (7%) | 194 (10%) | 217 (7%) | 194 (10%) | 227 (7%) | 184 (10%) |