Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study cohort in 12 months prior to the index date
| Rheumatoid arthritis (N=20,852) | Non-rheumatoid arthritis (N=104,260) | |
|---|---|---|
| N (%) or mean ± standard deviation | ||
| Follow-up period, years | 1.9 ± 1.5 | 2.0 ± 1.6 |
|
| ||
| Demographic | ||
|
| ||
| Age*, years | 51.9 ± 12.1 | 51.9 ± 12.1 |
| Female* | 15,497 (74) | 77,485 (74) |
|
| ||
| Comorbidities | ||
|
| ||
| Combined comorbidity score | 0.2 ± 1.0 | 0.1 ± 0.9 |
| Diabetes | 1,935 (9) | 9,279 (9) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 262 (1) | 647 (1) |
| Liver disease | 558 (3) | 1,900 (2) |
| Hypertension | 5,876 (28) | 26,360 (25) |
| Cardiovascular disease a | 1,439 (7) | 5,355 (5) |
| Valvular or congenital heart disease | 716 (3) | 2,666 (3) |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 2,389 (11) | 8,165 (8) |
| Stroke | 497 (2) | 1,983 (2) |
| Thyroid disease | 3,044 (15) | 11,774 (11) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 6,439 (31) | 34,561 (33) |
| Surgery, non-cardiovascular | 184 (1) | 450 (0.4) |
|
| ||
| Medications | ||
|
| ||
| Diuretics | 3,548 (17) | 9,960 (10) |
| ACEI/ARB | 4,087 (20) | 16,203 (16) |
| Bisphosphonates | 2,460 (12) | 4,758 (5) |
| NSAIDs | 12,999 (62) | 16,545 (16) |
| Opioids | 9,155 (44) | 22,206 (21) |
| Beta-blockers | 2,762 (13) | 10,678 (10) |
| Calcium channel blockers | 1,537 (7) | 5,266 (5) |
| Glucocorticoids b | 6,449 (31) | 1,536 (1) |
|
| ||
| Health care utilization | ||
|
| ||
| No. of total physician visits | 10.2 ± 7.4 | 4.9 ± 4.7 |
| No. of hospitalizations | 0.2 ± 0.7 | 0.1 ± 0.5 |
| No. of prescription drug | 9.8 ± 6.0 | 4.5 ± 4.5 |
|
| ||
| Laboratory data | ||
|
| ||
| APR levels available | 3,139 (15) | 1,126 (1) |
| Elevated APR levels c | 1,117 (36) | 200 (18) |
| Rheumatoid factor available | 2,298 (11) | 328 (0.3) |
| Positive rheumatoid factor c | 1,294 (56) | 19 (6) |
*
matched
a
includes myocardial infarcts, angina, coronary artery disease, heart failure and cardiomyopathy
b
use of glucocorticoids 30 days prior to the index date
c
the proportion was calculated among the subjects with APR or RF levels available
NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ACEI: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ARB: angiotensin II receptor blocker, APR: acute phase reactant