Table 1.
Participant characteristicsa
| RA (n = 166) | Control (n = 90) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age (IQR), yr | 54 (45 to 63) | 53 (44 to 60) | 0.38 |
| Caucasian race, n (%) | 147 (89) | 77 (86) | 0.55 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 114 (69) | 56 (62) | 0.30 |
| RF-positive, n (%) | 114 (72) | – | – |
| Median DAS28-ESR (IQR) | 3.86 (2.63–4.90) | – | – |
| Median DAS28-CRP (IQR) | 3.09 (2.06–3.80) | – | – |
| Tender joints, n (IQR) | 2 (0 to 7) | – | – |
| Swollen joints, n (IQR) | 3 (0 to 8) | – | – |
| Median CRP (IQR), mg/L | 4.0 (1.2 to 11) | 0.5 (0.2 to 1.5) | <0.001 |
| Median ESR (IQR), mm/hr | 15 (7 to 36) | – | – |
| Known CAD, n (%) | 17 (10) | 9 (10) | 0.95 |
| Coronary artery calcium, n (%) | 83 (52) | 34 (39) | 0.05 |
| Coronary calcium score, Agatston units | 2.7 (0 to 178.7) | 0 (0 to 19.2) | 0.02 |
| Methotrexate use, n (%) | 118 (71) | – | – |
| Leflunomide use, n (%) | 29 (18) | – | – |
| Hydroxychloroquine use, n (%) | 42 (25) | – | – |
| Anti-TNFα agent use, n (%) | 33 (20) | – | – |
| Prednisone use, n (%) | 89 (54) | – | – |
| NSAID use, n (%) | 55 (33) | 33 (37) | 0.53 |
aRF data were available in 159 patients with RA. Coronary artery calcium scores were available for 161 patients with RA and 88 control subjects. CAD, Coronary artery disease; CRP, High-sensitivity C-reactive protein; DAS28, Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints; ESR, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; IQR, Interquartile range; NSAID, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, Rheumatoid arthritis; RF, Rheumatoid factor; TNFα, Tumor necrosis factor α