Table 1.
Cardiovascular risk factors in RA patients and controls.
| risk factor | Controls | RA patients | p value |
| age | 57 (51.5–60) | 56 (49–60) | ns |
| BMI | 25.16 (23.30–28.75) | 25.53 (23.39–29.55) | ns |
| waist/hip | 0.818 (0.778–0.839) | 0.846 (0.800–0.886) | ns |
| SBP | 128 (117.5–143) | 128 (122–140) | ns |
| DBP | 78 (72–84) | 80 (73.5–84.5) | ns |
| total cholesterol | 5.75 (4.9–6.75) | 5.5 (4.5–6.1) | ns |
| HDL-cholesterol | 1.55 (1.30–2.03) | 1.70 (1.40–2.00) | ns |
| triglycerides | 1.20 (0.85–1.50) | 1.10 (0.80–1.43) | ns |
| LDL-cholesterol | 3.50 (2.73–4.33) | 3.09 (2.34–3.78) | 0.025 |
| 10 year cardiac risk | 5.75 (3.20–10.35) | 4.90 (1.58–7.93) | ns |
| IMT | 0.055 (0.047–0.062) | 0.053 (0.047–0.060) | ns |
| smoking | 24 (50%) | 30 (65%) | ns |
| hypertension | 6 (13%) | 12 (26%) | ns |
| FH of IHD | 11 (23%) | 16 (35%) | ns |
Results are expressed either as median (interquartile range) or as the number of affected individuals (percentage of the total). Data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U-test (continuous variables) or Fisher's Exact Probability test (dichotomous variables). ns = not significant. Units were expressed as follows: age as years; SBP and DBP as mmHg; total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol as mmol/l; 10 year cardiac risk as %; IMT as cm.