Table 1.
General and disease characteristics as well as endothelial function scores for patients in the cross-sectional study
| RA patients | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| General characteristics | ||
| Sex female n (%) | 72 (73) | 99 |
| Disease characteristics | ||
| RF positive n (%) | 70 (78) | 90 |
| Disease duration (years) | 11 ± 10 | 74 |
| ESR (mm/hr) | 17.0 (8.8-28.3) | 90 |
| CRP (mg/L) | 5.0 (2.9-13.50) | 93 |
| DAS28 | 3.6 ± 1.3 | 93 |
| HAQ | 1.7 ± .87 | 95 |
| RA medications | ||
| Methotrexate n (%) | 60 (60) | 99 |
| Prednisolone n (%) | 22 (22) | 99 |
| NSAIDS n (%) | 18 (18) | 99 |
| Cyclooxygenase II inhibitors n (%) | 11 (11) | 99 |
| Anti-TNF-α therapy n (%) | 11 (11) | 99 |
| CVD medications | ||
| Antihypertensive n (%) | 25 (25) | 99 |
| Antihypercholesterolemic n (%) | 12 (12) | 99 |
| Beta-blocker n (%) | 7 (7) | 99 |
| Calcium channel blocker n (%) | 5 (5) | 99 |
| Microvascular function | ||
| Endothelium-dependent (ACh%) | 236 (152-407) | 94 |
| Endothelium-independent (SNP%) | 261 (181-384) | 94 |
| Macrovascular function | ||
| Endothelium-dependent (FMD%) | 9.5 (4.8-13.5) | 96 |
| Endothelium-independent (GTN%) | 24.0 (16.3-30.4) | 93 |
Results are expressed as number (percentage), mean ± SD, or median (25th to 75th) percentile, as appropriate. Ach, acetylcholine; CRP, C-reactive protein; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DAS28, disease activity score in 28 joints; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FMD, flow-mediated dilatation; GTN, glyceryl trinitrate; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire, NSAID, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; SNP, sodium nitroprusside.