Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Main population (n = 1974) | Sub-analyses 1 (n = 1543) | Sub-analyses 2 (n = 2617) | Sub-analyses 3 (n = 1991) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Follow-up time in years, median (IQR) | 5 (2.6,9.1) | 5 (2.7,10.3) | 5 (2.3,7.7) | 5 (2.5,8.5) |
| Age in years, median (IQR) | 52.0 (43.7,59.4) | 53.1 (45,60.5) | 54 (45.5,61) | 55.3 (46.8,62) |
| Females, n (%) | 1465 (74%) | 1095 (71%) | 1955 (75%) | 1432 (72%) |
| Disease duration in years, median (IQR) | 0.6 (0.1,5.8) | 0.4 (0,4.3) | 0.8 (0.1,7.6) | 0.6 (0.1,6) |
| Rheumatoid factor, n (%) | 1437 (73%) | 1078 (70%) | 1907 (74%) | 1392 (70%) |
| Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, n (%) | 1239 (66%) | 905 (62%) | 1649 (67%) | 1177 (63%) |
| Glucocorticosteroids, n (%) | 469 (24%) | 345 (22%) | 675 (26%) | 502 (25%) |
| Biologic DMARD, n (%) | 193 (10%) | 149 (10%) | 321 (12%) | 239 (12%) |
| Synthetic DMARD, n (%) | 722 (38%) | 517 (34%) | 1056 (43%) | 743 (37%) |
| Methotrexate, n (%) | 581 (30%) | 365 (24%) | 864 (34%) | 529 (27%) |
| DAS 28, mean (SD) | 4.2 (1.6) | 4.3 (1.5) | 4.1 (1.6) | 4.2 (1.5) |
| Remission (< 2.6) | 334 (18%) | 206 (14%) | 491 (20%) | 280 (15%) |
| Low disease activity (2.6, 3.2) | 169 (9%) | 141 (10%) | 234 (9%) | 187 (10%) |
| Moderate disease activity (3.2, 5.1) | 810 (43%) | 681 (47%) | 1051 (42%) | 876 (47%) |
| High disease activity (> 5.1) | 566 (30%) | 433 (30%) | 704 (28%) | 540 (29%) |
| CRP (mg/l), median (IQR) | 6.2 (1.4, 18) | 8 (2, 21) | 6.2 (1.4, 17) | 8 (2, 20) |
| ESR (mm/h), median (IQR) | 20 (10, 35.9) | 20 (10, 36) | 20 (10, 36) | 20 (10, 36) |
| TJC 28, median (IQR) | 4 (1, 8) | 4 (2, 8) | 4 (1, 8) | 4 (1, 8) |
| SJC 28, median (IQR) | 5 (2, 9) | 5 (2, 9) | 4 (1, 9) | 5 (2, 9) |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/l), median (IQR) | 5.2 (4.4, 5.9) | 5.3 (4.5, 6.1) | 5.2 (4.4, 6) | 5.4 (4.6, 6.1) |
| HDL-c (mmol/l), median (IQR) | 1.4 (1.1, 1.7) | 1.4 (1.2, 1.7) | 1.4 (1.1, 1.7) | 1.4 (1.2, 1.7) |
| LDL-c (mmol/l), median (IQR) | 3.1 (2.4, 3.8) | 3.2 (2.6, 4) | 3.1 (2.4, 3.8) | 3.2 (2.6, 3.9) |
| Triglyceride (mmol/l), median (IQR) | 1.2 (0.9, 1.7) | 1.2 (0.9, 1.7) | 1.2 (0.9, 1.7) | 1.2 (0.9, 1.7) |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg), mean (SD) | 134.1 (21.4) | 137.7 (21.2) | 136.1 (21.8) | 139.7 (21.7) |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg), mean (SD) | 80.1 (10.8) | 81.4 (10.5) | 80.8 (11) | 82.2 (10.7) |
| BMI (kg/m2), median (IQR) | 25.6 (23.0, 28.7) | 25.4 (22.9, 28.4) | 26.1 (23.4, 29.5) | 25.9 (23.3, 29.3) |
| BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, n (%) | 324 (19%) | 226 (17%) | 523 (23%) | 366 (22%) |
| Current smokers, n (%) | 560 (30%) | 497 (34%) | 678 (28%) | 599 (32%) |
IQR inter-quartile range, SD standard deviation, bDMARDs and sDMARDs biologic and synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, DAS28 disease activity score using 28 joint count, CRP C-reactive protein, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, HDL-c high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, sBP and dBP systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Baseline characteristics describing demographic data, rheumatoid arthritis-related disease characteristics, and cardiovascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis at baseline. Data are also specified on patients who do and do not experience CVD events during follow-up. In subanalyses 1, only European rheumatoid arthritis cohorts were included. In subanalyses 2, rheumatoid arthritis patients on lipid-lowering therapy and/or antihypertensive treatment were included. In subanalyses 3, analyses were performed on patients from European rheumatoid arthritis cohorts also including patients on lipid-lowering therapy and/or antihypertensive treatment