. 2025 Oct 28;87(12):8051–8058. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000004182

Table 2.

Comparative 10-year risk of outcomes in propensity score-matched rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with HCQ versus methotrexate

Outcome	Cohort	Patients in cohort^a	Patients with outcome (n)	Risk^b	Risk difference (HCQ-MTX) (95% CI)	Relative risk (HCQ/MTX) (95% CI)	P-value^c
All-cause mortality	RA on HCQ	56 276	3130	0.056	0.015 (0.013, 0.018)	1.379 (1.309, 1.454)	<0.001
All-cause mortality	RA on MTX	56 302	2270	0.040	0.015 (0.013, 0.018)	1.379 (1.309, 1.454)	<0.001
NSTEMI	RA on HCQ	55 879	860	0.015	0.003 (0.001, 0.004)	1.217 (1.103, 1.344)	<0.001
NSTEMI	RA on MTX	55 924	707	0.013	0.003 (0.001, 0.004)	1.217 (1.103, 1.344)	<0.001
PAH	RA on HCQ	55 196	2112	0.038	0.015 (0.013, 0.017)	1.625 (1.518, 1.739)	<0.001
PAH	RA on MTX	55 663	1311	0.024	0.015 (0.013, 0.017)	1.625 (1.518, 1.739)	<0.001
ILD	RA on HCQ	55 288	1703	0.031	0.008 (0.007, 0.010)	1.377 (1.281, 1.480)	<0.001
ILD	RA on MTX	55 969	1252	0.022	0.008 (0.007, 0.010)	1.377 (1.281, 1.480)	<0.001
ESRD	RA on HCQ	55 992	645	0.012	0.007 (0.006, 0.008)	2.624 (2.267, 3.037)	<0.001
ESRD	RA on MTX	56 265	247	0.004	0.007 (0.006, 0.008)	2.624 (2.267, 3.037)	<0.001
Alzheimer’s dementia	RA on HCQ	56 315	107	0.002	−0.000 (−0.001, 0.000)	0.907 (0.698, 1.178)	0.464
Alzheimer’s dementia	RA on MTX	56 325	118	0.002	−0.000 (−0.001, 0.000)	0.907 (0.698, 1.178)	0.464
STEMI	RA on HCQ	56 091	358	0.006	0.001 (−0.000, 0.002)	1.148 (0.987, 1.336)	0.074
STEMI	RA on MTX	56 121	312	0.006	0.001 (−0.000, 0.002)	1.148 (0.987, 1.336)	0.074
Osteoporosisᵈ	RA on HCQ	52 836	5079	0.096	0.002 (−0.001, 0.006)	1.022 (0.984, 1.060)	0.258
Osteoporosisᵈ	RA on MTX	53 130	4999	0.094	0.002 (−0.001, 0.006)	1.022 (0.984, 1.060)	0.258

CI, confidence interval; ESRD, end-stage renal disease; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; ILD, interstitial lung disease; MTX, methotrexate; NSTEMI, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction; PAH, pulmonary hypertension; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; STEMI, ST elevation myocardial infarction.

^{^a}

Patients in cohort after propensity score matching and after excluding those with the outcome prior to the 10-year analysis window. Number of patients excluded due to prior outcome for each analysis: Mortality (HCQ: 86, MTX: 60); NSTEMI (HCQ: 483, MTX: 438); PAH (HCQ: 1,166, MTX: 699); ILD (HCQ: 1,074, MTX: 393); ESRD (HCQ: 370, MTX: 97); Alzheimer’s dementia (HCQ: 47, MTX: 37); STEMI (HCQ: 271, MTX: 241); Osteoporosis (HCQ: 3,526, MTX: 3,232).

^{^b}

Risk = cumulative incidence at 10 years.

^{^c}

P-value for the difference in risks between cohorts (from TriNetX z-score output).

^{^d}

Includes osteoporosis with or without current pathological fracture.