Table 1.
Study group characteristics
| Variable | Overall |
|---|---|
| n | 185 |
| Age; mean (SD) | 43.2 (11.7) |
| Gender | |
| Female | 176 (95.1) |
| Male | 9 (4.9) |
| Diagnosis | |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 118 (63.7) |
| Spondyloarthropathies (including psoriatic arthritis) | 50 (27) |
| Unclassified arthritis | 14 (7.5) |
| Mixed connective tissue disease | 3 (1.6) |
| Age at diagnosis; mean (SD) | 37.4 (12.1) |
| Diagnostic delay | |
| Up to 3 months | 37 (20.0) |
| Up to 6 months | 46 (24.8) |
| Up to 1 year | 40 (21.6) |
| Up to 3 years | 30 (16.2) |
| Up to 5 years | 11 (5.9) |
| Up to 8 years | 7 (3.7) |
| Over 8 years | 14 (7.5) |
| Disease duration (years); median (IQR) | 2 (1.0–8.0) |
| Occupation type | |
| Sedentary | 103 (55.6) |
| Physically | 82 (44.3) |
| Night shifts | 40 (21.6) |
| Surgical procedure due to a rheumatic disease | 34 (18.4) |
| bDMARDs | 43 (23.2) |
| Osteoarthritis | 42 (22.7) |
| Depression | 33 (17.8) |
| Hypercholesterolemia | 29 (15.7) |
| Number of comorbidities; median (IQR) | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) |
| Additional painkillers | |
| Without | 23 (12.4) |
| NSAID’s | 114 (61.6) |
| Opioids | 48 (25.9) |
| Co-analgesics (pregabalin, venlafaxine, duloxetine) | 18 (9.7) |
| Frequency of painkillers intake | |
| Rarer than once a day | 111 (60.0) |
| Once a day | 45 (24.3) |
| More than once a day | 29 (15.7) |
| Smoking | |
| No | 104 (56.2) |
| Ex-smoker | 36 (19.5) |
| Yes | 45 (24.3) |
| Alcohol consumption | |
| Not drinking at all | 100 (54.1) |
| < 2 units monthly | 41 (22.2) |
| < 4 units monthly | 17 (9.2) |
| >2 units at once, but < 4 units monthly | 3 (1.6) |
| < 8 units monthly | 17 (9.2) |
| < 16 units monthly | 4 (2.2) |
| > 16 units monthly | 3 (1.6) |
| Physical activity (PA) | |
| No additional PA | 92 (49.7) |
| PA below the recommended threshold | 41 (22.2) |
| PA within 1–2 times the recommended threshold | 21 (11.4) |
| PA above 2 times the threshold | 31 (16.8) |
| BMI; median (IQR) | 23.9 (21.4–27.8) |
| Chronic Pain Grade Scale | |
| Grade I | 21 (11.4) |
| Grade II | 49 (26.5) |
| Grade III | 49 (26.5) |
| Grade IV | 66 (35.7) |
| CSI score; median (IQR) | 54.0 (45.0–60.0) |
| CSI classification | |
| Subclinical | 6 (3.2) |
| Mild | 26 (14.1) |
| Moderate | 33 (17.8) |
| Strong | 73 (39.5) |
| Strong | 47 (25.4) |
| PDQ; mean (SD) | 18.5 (6.7) |
| PDQ classification | |
| Absent | 36 (19.5) |
| Borderline | 43 (23.2) |
| Present | 106 (57.3) |
Data are shown as frequencies n (%) unless otherwise specified
bDMARDs biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, CSI central sensitization inventory, NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, PDQ PainDetect Questionnaire