Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the total cohort after trimming based on the propensity score

Total cohortNo known HFKnown HF
nbDMARD (n=8656)TNF antagonist (n=11587)nbDMARD (n=8297)TNF antagonist (n=11155)nbDMARD (n=359)TNF antagonist (n=432)
Female gender7434 (85.9)10021 (86.5)7134 (86.0)9658 (86.6)300 (83.6)363 (84.0)
Age, years (mean±SD)56.2±14.355.4±14.455.7±14.355.0±14.466.9±12.265.9±11.6
Race, Caucasian5332 (61.6)7232 (62.4)5098 (61.4)6951 (62.3)234 (65.2)281 (65.0)
 Black1343 (15.5)1799 (15.5)1273 (15.3)1717(15.4)70 (19.5)82 (19.0)
 Other1981 (22.9)2556 (22.1)1926 (23.2)2487 (22.3)55 (15.3)69 (16.0)
Nursing home residence331 (3.8)415 (3.6)287 (3.5)360 (3.2)44 (12.3)55 (12.7)
Rheumatoid arthritis characteristics
 Extra-articular manifestation381 (4.4)541 (4.7)357 (4.3)508 (4.6)24 (6.7)33 (7.6)
 Non-naproxen NSAID use5884 (68.0)8032 (69.3)5663 (68.3)7746 (69.4)221 (61.6)286 (66.2)
 Cox-2 selective inhibitor use3039 (35.1)4542 (39.2)2884 (34.8)4342 (38.9)155 (43.2)200 (46.3)
 Glucocorticoid use6855 (79.2)9351 (80.7)6580 (79.3)9024 (80.9)275 (76.6)327 (75.7)
Cardiovascular factors
 Prior myocardial infarction153 (1.8)224 (1.9)118 (1.4)190 (1.7)35 (9.8)34 (7.9)
 Peripheral vascular disease333 (3.9)457 (3.9)291 (3.5)395 (3.5)42 (11.7)62 (14.4)
 HF359 (4.2)432 (3.7)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)359 (100.0)432 (100.0)
 Hypertension3654 (42.2)4818 (41.6)3398 (41.0)4491 (40.3)256 (71.3)327 (75.7)
 Diabetes mellitus1982 (22.9)2722 (23.5)1827 (22.0)2511 (22.5)155 (43.2)211 (48.8)
 Angina177 (2.0)228 (2.0)134 (1.6)189 (1.7)43 (12.0)39 (9.0)
 Statin treatment2000 (23.1)2618 (22.6)1862 (22.4)2441 (21.9)138 (38.4)177 (41.0)
 Transient ischaemic attack89 (1.0)104 (0.9)78 (0.9)89 (0.8)11 (3.1)15 (3.5)
 Stroke150 (1.7)195 (1.7)139 (1.7)163 (1.5)11 (3.1)32 (7.4)
 Coronary revascularisation57 (0.7)75 (0.7)45 (0.5)59 (0.5)12 (3.3)16 (3.7)
 Hyperlipidaemia4632 (53.5)6054 (52.3)4402 (53.0)5772 (51.7)230 (64.1)282 (65.3)
 β-blocker treatment2077 (23.2)2584 (22.3)1824 (22.0)2377 (21.3)183 (51.0)207 (47.9)
 Loop diuretic use1284 (14.8)1738 (15.0)1028 (12.4)1425 (12.8)256 (71.3)313 (72.5)
 Ace inhibitor use2015 (23.3)2688 (23.2)1840 (22.2)2471 (22.2)175 (48.8)217 (50.2)
  • Notes: The number of subjects by data source: Medicaid Analytic Extract=14200; Tennessee Medicaid=1776; Kaiser-Permanente=3430; and Pennsylvania and New Jersey Medicare=837.

  • HF, heart failure; nbDMARD, non-biological disease modifying antirheumatic drug; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.