Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients included in the study according to initial therapy during the period 2010–2013 (N = 1251)
| Variables | Patient groups according to initial drug therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| DMARD (N = 275) | Anti-TNF (±DMARD) (N = 976) | |
| Age (years) | 39.0 (30.0–48.0) | 41.0 (32.0–50.0) |
| Male | 169 (61.45) | 648 (66.39) |
| Per capita incomea | ||
| Extremely poor—up to US$ 30 | 0 | 0 |
| Poor—up to US$ 60 | 0 | 0 |
| Vulnerable—up to US$ 110 | 7 (2.75) | 10 (1.11) |
| Lower middle class—up to US$ 160 | 39 (15.29) | 63 (6.99) |
| Average middle class—up to US$ 230 | 93 (36.47) | 284 (31.52) |
| Upper middle class—up to US$ 370 | 76 (29.80) | 344 (38.18) |
| Lower-upper class—up to US$ 900 | 36 (14.12) | 161 (17.87) |
| Upper class—more than US$ 900 | 4 (1.57) | 39 (4.33) |
| Median (real, R$) | 209 (169–290) | 240 (196–235) |
Values are presented as the median, with the interquartile range (IQR) in parenthesis or as a number with the percentage in parenthesis
DMARDs Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, TNF tumour necrosis factor, IQR interquartile range
aThe income per capita was stratified according to a classification elaborated by the Brazilian Government