Table 1.

Baseline Characteristics of the 603 incident subjects with Rheumatoid Arthritis (Rochester, MN).

	RF(+) RA	RF(−) RA	P value
Number of Subjects	393	210
Follow-up, median (years)	13.9	14.2
Deceased subjects, n (%)	260 (66.1)	138 (65.7)
Age at RA incidence, mean (years)	56.8	60.2	0.008
Female, n (%)	287(73%)	154 (73%)	0.94
Caucasian, n (%)	384 (98%)	207 (99%)	0.47
Current smoking, No. (%)	124(32%)	46 (22%)	0.012
Disease characteristics
Nodules, No. (%)	30(8%)	5 (2%)	0.009
Erosions, No. (%)	25(8%)	9 (6%)	0.34
Decalcification, No. (%)	15(5%)	9 (6%)	0.71
Large joint swelling*, No. (%)	152(42%)	81 (42%)	1.00
Hand/wrist swelling, No. (%)	344(93%)	185 (93%)	0.84

^*large joints include elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints