Disease characteristics of RA study subjects (n=336)
| Patient details | ||
| Sex (% female) | 70.2 | |
| Age (mean (SD)) | 57.3 (13.5) | |
| Race (% White) | 98.0 | |
| Current ACR criteria for RA (%) | 61.0 | |
| Cigarette smoking (%) | Current | 11.6 |
| Former | 40.5 | |
| Never | 47.9 | |
| RA activity (mean (SD)) | ||
| Joint count | Swollen (0–66) | 7.7 (7.6) |
| Tender (0–69) | 10.1 (12.9) | |
| Morning stiffness (h) | 1.6 (3.4) | |
| HAQ DI (0–3) | 1.0 (0.70) | |
| Pain by VAS (0–100) | 37.6 (25.4) | |
| Patient global severity by VAS (0–100) | 35.5 (23.3) | |
| Physician global severity by VAS (0–100) | 25.1 (22.0) | |
| ESR (mm 1st h) | 36.0 (26.0) | |
| RA severity (%, unless otherwise indicated) | ||
| Radiographic bone erosions | 71.7 | |
| Rheumatoid factor positive | 63.4 | |
| Rheumatoid nodules | 34.2 | |
| Mean (SD) disease duration (y) | 13.9 (11.2) | |
| Previous joint surgery | 51.5 | |
| Current medication use (%) | ||
| NSAIDs | 73.5 | |
| Second line drugs | 61.9 | |
| Corticosteroids | 37.5 | |
RA=Rheumatoid arthritis; ACR=American College of Rheumatology; HAQ DI=Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index; VAS=Visual Analogue Scale; ESR=erythrocyte sedimentation rate.