Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the nbDMARD- and anti-TNF-treated patients

Characteristics	nbDMARD	Anti-TNF	p Value	Etanercept	Infliximab	Adalimumab	p Value
Characteristics	N=3393	N=11881	p Value	N=4129	N=3483	N=4269	p Value
Gender, % female	73	76	<0.001	77	76	76	0.227
Age, mean (SD) years	60 (12)	56 (12)	<0.001	56 (12)	56 (12)	57 (12)	0.015
Weight, mean (SD) kg	74 (18)	73 (17)	0.001	72 (17)	72 (17)	74 (18)	<0.001
DAS28 score, mean (SD)	5.3 (1.1)	6.6 (1.0)	<0.001	6.6 (1.0)	6.6 (1.0)	6.5 (1.0)	<0.001
HAQ score, mean (SD)	1.5 (0.7)	2.0 (0.6)	<0.001	2.1 (0.6)	2.1 (0.5)	1.9 (0.6)	<0.001
Disease duration, median (IQR) years	6 (1–15)	11 (6–19)	<0.001	12 (6–19)	12 (6–19)	10 (5–18)	<0.001
Baseline steroid use (%)	23	44	<0.001	48	46	39	<0.001
Baseline nsNSAID use (%)	40	41	0.127	38	42	44	<0.001
Baseline COX2 inhibitor use (%)	14	18	<0.001	22	17	15	<0.001
Baseline aspirin use (%)	9	5	<0.001	5	5	6	0.010
Baseline use of gastroprotective drugs (%)	29	36	<0.001	36	37	35	0.343
History of peptic ulcer (%)	7	9	<0.001	9	10	7	0.000
Hypertension (%)	33	30	0.014	31	28	31	0.001
Renal disease (%)	3	3	0.332	3	3	2	0.011
Smoking history (%)
Current smoker	24	22	0.001	21	22	23	0.077
Former smoker	40	38	0.001	38	38	38	0.077
Never smoked	36	40	0.001	41	40	39	0.077

Anti-TNF, antitumour necrosis factor; COX2, cyclo-oxygenase 2; DAS28, 28-joint Disease Activity Score; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; nbDMARD, non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; nsNSAID, non-selective-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.