Table 1.
Selected characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries with rheumatoid arthritis in 2009.
| Characteristics | Beneficiaries with RA using any DMARDs* (N = 6932) |
Beneficiaries with RA Using Biologic DMARDS (N = 1812) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD) | 75.7 (6.5) | 74.7 (6.0) |
| Female, n (%) | 5651 (82) | 1515 (84) |
| Race/ethnicity, n (%) | ||
| White | 5959 (86) | 1580 (87) |
| Black | 563 (8) | 114 (6) |
| Other | 410 (6) | 118 (7) |
| Mean Charlson comorbidity score (SD) | 1.5 (0.9) | 1.5 (0.9) |
| Area-level socioeconomic status index | ||
| Quintile 1 (counties with lowest % SES) | 45.3 (2.0) | 45.3 (1.9) |
| Quintile 2 | 48.4 (0.6) | 48.4 (0.6) |
| Quintile 3 | 50.2 (0.5) | 50.2 (0.7) |
| Quintile 4 | 52.3 (0.7) | 52.3 (0.7) |
| Quintile 5 (counties with highest % SES) | 56.1 (2.5) | 56.0 (2.3) |
| Low-Income Subsidy, n (%) | 2015 (29) | 572 (32) |
| Number of physician visits, mean (SD) | 13.4 (9.5) | 15.4 (10.2) |
| Number of hospitalizations, mean (SD) | 0.3 (0.8) | 0.4 (0.8) |
| Use of non-biologic DMARDs, n (%) | 6443 (93) | 1323 (73) |
| Use of biologic DMARDs, n (%) | 1812 (26) | |
| Part B biologic DMARD | 1094 (16) | 1094 (60) |
| Part D biologic DMARD | 718 (10) | 718 (40) |
RA=rheumatoid arthritis; DMARD=disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; SES=socioeconomic status.
*
Including any non-biologic or biologic DMARD.