Comparison of patient groups before radiotherapy
hand joints, pain
The mean age at enrolment was 68.2 years (median 67.9 years, interquartile range [IQR] 19) in the standard dose group and 66.3 years (median 64.8 years, IQR 16) in the experimental dose group (n. s.). The mean duration of pain anamnesis prior to the start of radiotherapy was 56.2 months (median 36 months, IQR 72, standard dose group) and 49.6 months (median 36 months, IQR 10, experimental dose group, n. s.). Furthermore, the groups were well balanced with regard to extension and onset of pain, impact of pain on daily life, daily work and leisure as well as previously applied treatments. There was a trend towards a higher percentage of hand joints in the experimental dose group (The VAS scores before radiotherapy were not significantly different between the groups (