| Not baseline NSAID user n = 310, n (%) or median (IQR) | Baseline NSAID user n = 613, n (%) or median (IQR) | p Value | |
| Demographics and social history: | |||
| Age | 55 (41 to 69) | 55 (42 to 66) | 0.62 |
| Female | 207 (66.8) | 392 (64.0) | 0.39 |
| Lower social class >3b* | 140 (47.5) | 283(48.1) | 0.85 |
| Ever smoker | 200 (64.5) | 428 (69.8) | 0.10 |
| Current smoker | 88 (28.4) | 165 (26.9) | 0.64 |
| Comorbid drug use: | |||
| 1–2 Comorbid conditions | 115 (37.1) | 211 (34.4) | 0.41 |
| ⩾3 Comorbid conditions | 13 (4.1) | 25(4.1) | 0.38 |
| 1 CVD drug | 33 (10.6) | 56 (9.1) | 0.41 |
| ⩾2 CVD drugs | 27 (8.7) | 44 (7.2) | 0.36 |
| Aspirin | 17 (2.8) | 14 (4.5) | 0.19 |
| Antihypertensive medication | 46 (14.8) | 92 (15.0) | 0.94 |
| Heart failure medication | 53 (17.1) | 91 (14.9) | 0.61 |
| IHD medication | 40 (12.9) | 72 (11.8) | 0.85 |
| Diabetes medication | 9 (2.9) | 21 (3.4) | 0.67 |
| Inflammatory disease variables: | |||
| Disease duration >6 months | 163(52.6) | 305 (49.8) | 0.42 |
| Morning stiffness ⩾60 min | 104 (33.5) | 257 (41.9) | 0.01 |
| Swollen joint count | 5 (2 to 11) | 8 (3 to 14) | <0.01 |
| Tender joint count | 6 (2 to 14) | 9 (3 to 19) | <0.01 |
| CRP ⩾5 mg/litre | 133 (42.9) | 350 (57.1) | <0.01 |
| Rheumatoid factor positive | 72 (23.2) | 209 (34.1) | <0.01 |
| RA (by ACR criteria) | 128 (41.3) | 324 (52.9) | <0.01 |
| Rheumatoid nodules | 17 (5.5) | 58 (9.5) | 0.04 |
| HAQ | 0.5 (0.125 to 1.25) | 0.875 (0.375 to 1.5) | <0.01 |
| DMARDs | 44(14.2) | 110(17.9) | 0.14 |
| Methotrexate | 2 (0.7) | 12 (2.0) | 0.21 |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 2 (0.65) | 5 (0.82) | 0.78 |
| Steroids | 37 (11.9) | 37 (6.04) | <0.01 |
*Social class only available for 880 patients.
ACR, American College of Rheumatology; CRP, C-reactive protein; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; IQR, interquartile range; IP, inflammatory polyarthritis; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.