Baseline demographics and CRF distribution in RA and controls
| Variable | RA (150) | Controls (150) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 53±11 | 53±11 | 1 |
| Females | 131 (87) | 131 (87) | 1 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 26 (17) | 26 (17) | 1 |
| Hypertension | 72 (48) | 58 (40) | 0.2 |
| Smoking, current | 13 (9) | 19 (13) | 0.3 |
| Family history | 6 (4) | 90 (60) | <0.0001 |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 26 (17) | 59 (40) | <0.0001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 28.9±6.3 | 30.3±4.6 | 0.7 |
| RF+ | 129 (86) | – | – |
| ACPA+ | 127 (85) | – | – |
| Erosions | 99 (66) | – | – |
| RA-duration (years) | 11±8 | – | – |
| Tender joint count | 1.6±3.4 | – | – |
| Swollen joint count | 1.7±2.6 | – | – |
| DAS28-CRP | 2.6±1 | – | – |
| DAS28-CRP<3.2 | 112 (75) | – | – |
| ESR (mm/h) | 27±18 | – | – |
| hsCRP (mg/L) | 8.8±13 | – | – |
| IAD | 52 (35) | – | – |
| JRS | 15 (10) | – | – |
| Prednisone | 52 (35) | – | – |
| Prednisone dose (mg) | 6.2±4 | – | – |
| DMARDs- concurrent | 2±0.8 | – | – |
| MTX | 128 (85) | – | – |
| TNFi-exposed | 90 (60) | – | – |
| TNFi duration (years) | 4.2±2.4 | – | – |
ACPA, anticitrullinated peptide antibodies; CRF, cardiac risk factor; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; IAD, irreversible articular damage; JRS, joint replacement surgeries; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.