Table 1.
Patient characteristics for all rheumatoid arthritis patients at baseline and at follow-up a
| Characteristics | Baseline (2006) | Follow-up (2012) |
|---|---|---|
| General characteristics |
|
|
| Age (years) |
61 (53 to 67) |
67 (59 to 73) |
| Female, n (%) |
155 (77) |
155 (77) |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) |
27 (24 to 30) |
28 (24 to 32) |
| Disease characteristics |
|
|
| Age at RA onset (years) |
46 ± 13 |
– |
| Disease duration (years) |
10 (4 to 18) |
16 (11 to 25) |
| Rheumatoid factor-positive, n (%) |
148 (74) |
148 (74) |
| Anti-CCP autoantibody-positive, n (%) |
123 (61) |
123 (61) |
| DAS28 score |
4.0 (3.1 to 4.8) |
3.1 (2.5 to 4.0) |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) |
7.5 (4.3 to 16) |
3 (2.9 to 8.5) |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h) |
17 (8 to 30) |
12 (5 to 23) |
| HAQ |
1.3 ± 0.9 |
1.6 ± 0.9 |
| Extraarticular manifestations, n (%)b |
147 (73) |
– |
| Cardiovascular disease risk factors |
|
|
| Hypertension, n (%) |
132 (66) |
130 (65) |
| Dyslipidaemia, n (%) |
115 (57) |
158 (79) |
| Insulin resistance, n (%) |
65 (32) |
53 (26) |
| Diabetes, n (%) |
7 (4) |
21 (10) |
| Current smokers |
33 (16) |
23 (11) |
| Global cardiovascular disease riskc |
|
|
| Framingham risk score (%) |
4.6 ± 5.3 |
9.2 ± 6.3 |
| Reynolds risk score (%) |
6.3 ± 6.4 |
9.6 ± 8.3 |
| RA medications |
|
|
| Methotrexate, n (%) |
128 (64) |
122 (61) |
| Hydroxychloroquine, n (%) |
36 (18) |
50 (25) |
| Prednisolone, n (%) |
58 (29) |
51 (25) |
| Prednisolone dose (mg) |
6 ± 3 |
7 ± 8 |
| NSAIDs, n (%) |
47 (23) |
26 (13) |
| Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors, n (%) |
14 (7) |
5 (2.5) |
| Anti-TNFα therapy, n (%) |
20 (10) |
57 (28) |
| Tociluzimab, n (%) |
– |
3 (1.5) |
| Cardiovascular medications |
|
|
| Antihypertensives, n (%) |
81 (40) |
79 (39) |
| Antihypercholesterolaemics, n (%) |
33 (16) |
74 (37) |
| β-blockers, n (%) |
32 (16) |
22 (11) |
| Calcium channel blockers, n (%) | 26 (13) | 27 (13) |
aAnti-CCP, anticyclic citrullinated peptide; Anti-TNFα, anti–tumour necrosis factor α; DAS28, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis. bData were available for patients at baseline only. Extraarticular manifestations include the presence of nodules, eye abnormalities, systemic vasculitis, erosions, nailfold vasculitis, sicca, pulmonary fibrosis and serositis. cCalculated in patients free of cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. Results are expressed as median (25th to 75th percentile value), number (%) or mean ± SD.