Table 2.
Baseline disease characteristics in patients with and patients without MACEa
| Characteristic | No MACE (n = 4,024) | Adjudicated MACE (n = 52) |
|---|---|---|
| Duration of RA, years | 7.7 ± 7.9 | 10.1 ± 8.8 |
| 4‐variable DAS28‐ESR | 6.3 ± 1.1 | 6.3 ± 1.3 |
| Tender joint count | 14.1 ± 7.3 | 14.3 ± 7.5 |
| Swollen joint count | 10.4 ± 5.6 | 10.3 ± 5.9 |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dl | 198.3 ± 42.1 | 208.2 ± 48.9 |
| HDL cholesterol, mg/dl | 59.4 ± 16.9 | 55.3 ± 16.0 |
| LDL cholesterol, mg/dl | 113.9 ± 34.2 | 123.3 ± 43.2 |
| Total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio | 3.5 ± 1.1 | 4.0 ± 1.5 |
| Triglycerides, mg/dl | 125.3 ± 72.6 | 152.1 ± 86.9 |
| Apolipoprotein A‐1, mg/dl | 153.6 ± 31.2 | 149.4 ± 27.8 |
| Apolipoprotein B, mg/dl | 94.4 ± 24.7 | 105.8 ± 29.4 |
| CRP, mg/dl | 17.1 ± 22.7 | 15.7 ± 16.9 |
| ESR, mm/hour | 50.4 ± 26.9 | 47.9 ± 23.8 |
a
Values are the mean ± SD. MACE = major adverse cardiovascular event; RA = rheumatoid arthritis; DAS28‐ESR = Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HDL = high‐density lipoprotein; LDL = low‐density lipoprotein; CRP = C‐reactive protein; ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate.