Table 1.
Selected Baseline Characteristics in the Unmatched and Propensity-Score Matched Cohorts
| Baseline Characteristics | Unmatched* Cohort | Propensity-Score Matched Cohort | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statin Initiators (N=3,438) |
Non-Initiators (N=3,438) |
Statin Initiators (N=2,943) |
Non-Initiators (N=2,943) |
|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age, years, | 65.4 | 62.4 | 65.3 | 65.7 |
| Male, % | 35.5 | 26.0 | 34.4 | 34.7 |
| Socio-Economic Deprivation Index Score** |
2.8 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| RA Characteristics | ||||
| RA Duration, years | 10.1 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 10.3 |
| Lifestyle factors | ||||
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27.9 | 27.1 | 27.9 | 28.0 |
| Smoking | ||||
| Current, % | 21.4 | 18.2 | 21.0 | 20.5 |
| Past, % | 35.9 | 28.6 | 35.5 | 36.1 |
| None, % | 42.8 | 53.2 | 43.5 | 43.5 |
| Alcohol Use | ||||
| Current, % | 69.5 | 71.5 | 70.3 | 70.9 |
| Past, % | 4.5 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| None, % | 27.0 | 25.2 | 25.3 | 25.0 |
| Measures of comorbidity | ||||
| Charlson index | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Myocardial Infarction,% | 9.9 | 1.4 | 7.0 | 6.4 |
| Ischemic Heart Disease, % | 19.8 | 4.2 | 15.3 | 15.1 |
| Peripheral Vascular Disease, % | 3.0 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Congestive Heart Failure, % | 4.2 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Transient Ischemic Attack, % | 5.2 | 1.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| Stroke, % | 5.7 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Hypertension, % | 54.8 | 42.3 | 53.9 | 54.7 |
| Chronic Kidney Disease, % | 9.0 | 8.0 | 9.2 | 9.3 |
| Diabetes, % | 20.4 | 5.6 | 18.9 | 19.8 |
| Medications | ||||
| Antihypertensive medicine, % | 69.5 | 47.2 | 66.9 | 68.0 |
| Aspirin, % | 37.0 | 9.8 | 32.0 | 31.6 |
| NSAIDs, % | 58.5 | 60.3 | 58.3 | 58.0 |
| Loop diuretics, % | 14.0 | 9.7 | 13.0 | 13.2 |
| Thiazide-like diuretic, % | 3.1 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
| DMARDs, % | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Glucocorticoids, % | 37.4 | 33.9 | 36.8 | 36.4 |
| Laboratory measurements | ||||
| Cholesterol, mg/dl | 233.2 | 206.8 | 231.0 | 231.0 |
| Health Care Utilization | ||||
| General Practice visits*** | 17.4 | 15.2 | 17.1 | 17.0 |
| Hospitalizations*** | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Referrals*** | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Number of Medications Prescribed*** | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
*
A non-initiator was randomly selected to match to each initiator within 1-year cohort accrual block.
**
Socio-Economic Deprivation Index Score was measured by the Townsend Deprivation Index, which was grouped into quintiles from 1 (least deprived) to 5 (most deprived).
***
Frequency during the past two year.