Table 1.
Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of the study population.
| Subjects characteristics | Healthy controls | RA patients | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 20 | 20 | |
| Average age (years) | 52.5 ± 7.2 | 51.8 ± 9.4 | NS |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.3 ± 3.5 | 25.6 ± 5.2 | NS |
| Disease duration (years) | NA | 13.0 ± 6.6 | / |
| DAS28 | NA | 4.1± 1.2 | / |
| HAQ | NA | 1.2 ± 0.2 | / |
| RF positive, n (%) | NA | 18 (90) | / |
| ACPA positive, n (%) | NA | 20 (100) | / |
| Ongoing treatment | |||
| Prednisolone 10mg, n(%) | NA | 12 (60) | |
| Prednisolone 5mg, n(%) | NA | 8 (40) | |
| Methotrexate 15 mg, n(%) | NA | 7 (35) | |
| Methotrexate 20 mg, n(%) | NA | 11 (55) | |
| Methotrexate 25 mg, n(%) | NA | 2 (10) | |
| Smokers (n,%) | |||
| Current smokers | 10 (50) | 7 (35) | NS |
| Non-smokers | 8 (40) | 12 (60) | NS |
| Past smokers | 2 (10) | 1 (5) | NS |
| Cholesterol (mmol/L) | 6.2 ± 1.1 | 5.8 ± 1.1 | NS |
| Triglycerides (mmol/L) | 1.4 ± 0.7 | 1.3 ± 0.5 | NS |
| HDL (mmol/L) | 1.56 ± 0.28 | 1.44 ± 0.24 | NS |
| LDL (mmol/L) | 4.0 ± 1.0 | 3.8 ± 1.1 | NS |
| ESR (mm/h) | 10.7 ± 8.5 | 29.0 (7.0-56.0) | p < 0.001 |
| CRP (mg/L) | 1.9 ± 1.0 | 6.8 (0.8-56.2) | p < 0.001 |
| Fibrinogen (g/L) | 3.1 ± 0.6 | 3.9 ± 0.5 | p < 0.001 |
The values are expressed as means ± SD or median (IQR). BMI, body mass index; DAS28, Disease Activity Score 28; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; RF, rheumatoid factor; ACPA, citrullinated protein antigen; HDL, High-density lipoprotein; LDL, Low-density lipoprotein; ESR, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP, C-reactive protein; NA, not applicable; NS, not significant.