Table 1

 Comparison between demographic and disease activity indices for all subject’s on database and those that were selected for the study, with numbers for each index shown in parentheses

Total study group (n = 537))Current study group (n = 225)p Value
Results shown as mean±95% confidence interval (CI) unless stated otherwise.
% Female76±4 (537)71±6 (225)0.160
RF seropositive (%) 79±4 (482)79±6 (217)0.842
Age at 1 Jan 2000 (years)55.1±0.96 (534)54.5±1.54 (225)0.521
AGA34.5±1.9 (520)32.7±2.7 (220)0.291
PGA40.1±2.1 (520)39.9±3.1 (220)0.917
VAS pain37.4±2.2 (521)36.0±3.2 (221)0.477
No of swollen joints5.2±0.4 (514)4.7±0.6 (222)0.118
No of tender joints3.4±0.4 (514)3.3±0.6 (222)0.640
EMS (min)50.8±5.7 (351)50.2±8.6 (165)0.909
HAQ1.33±0.07 (519)1.19±0.10 (221)0.026*
ESR (min)26.7±2.4 (340)27.3±3.4 (157)0.262
DAS285.88±0.40 (334)5.61±0.57 (156)0.447
Disease duration at 2001 (years)10.5±0.7 (519)8.9±1.1 (223)0.023*
Weight (kg)70.6±1.3 (483)71.7±2.1 (210)0.362