Baseline characteristics of study cohorts in the 365 days before study entry
| Gout | Osteoarthritis | |
|---|---|---|
| N | 70 015 | 210 045 |
| Percentage or mean±SD | ||
| Follow-up, year | 2.1±1.8 | 2.0±1.8 |
| Demographics* | ||
| Age, years | 56.8±9.0 | 56.8±9.0 |
| Men | 81.4 | 81.4 |
| Comorbidities | ||
| Hypertension | 69.5 | 50.9 |
| Stroke | 4.0 | 3.7 |
| Cardiovascular disease | 12.4 | 10.5 |
| Valvular heart disease | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Chronic lung disease | 10.6 | 12.6 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 9.7 | 2.3 |
| Liver disease | 4.3 | 3.2 |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 63.9 | 54.2 |
| Obesity | 10.9 | 9.7 |
| Diabetes | 24.1 | 17.8 |
| Smoking | 6.1 | 9.8 |
| Alcoholism | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Comorbidity score† | 0.1±1.4 | 0.1±1.1 |
| Medications | ||
| Allopurinol or febuxostat | 55.2 | 0 |
| Colchicine | 23.6 | 0 |
| Recent colchicine use‡ | 10.5 | 0 |
| Lipid-lowering drugs | 43.7 | 38.0 |
| Recent steroid use‡ | 6.8 | 4.2 |
| 365-day cumulative prednisone-equivalent dose (mg) | 108.4±410.5 | 83.0±512.8 |
| Non-selective NSAIDs | 58.3 | 55.1 |
| Selective cox-2 inhibitors | 4.8 | 11.4 |
| Opioids | 42.3 | 70.1 |
| Beta blockers | 23.8 | 14.2 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 19.6 | 11.7 |
| ACE inhibitors or ARBs | 45.4 | 31.1 |
| Diuretics | 22.6 | 13.2 |
| Bisphosphonates | 1.2 | 2.1 |
| Antiplatelets | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| Healthcare usage | ||
| No. of outpatient physician visits | 7.1±5.5 | 8.2±5.6 |
| Emergency room visit | 20.0 | 18.0 |
| Acute hospitalisation | 8.1 | 10.0 |
| No. of prescription drugs | 8.6±5.4 | 8.1±5.1 |
| Laboratory test | ||
| CRP ordered | 9.6 | 8.2 |
| ESR ordered | 15.7 | 11.4 |
| CRP or ESR level available | 6.6 | 5.0 |
| Elevated CRP or ESR§ | 35.5 | 23.4 |
| Uric acid ordered | 56.2 | 7.1 |
| Uric acid level available | 21.4 | 2.7 |
| Uric acid, mg/dl¶ (median, IQR) | 7.4±2.0 (7.5, 6.0–8.8) | 5.9±1.4 (5.8, 4.9–6.8) |
*Gout and osteoarthritis groups are age, sex and index-date matched.
†The range of the comorbidity score is −2 to 26.
‡Recent use is defined as any use within 30 days from the index date.
§Proportions were calculated among patients with baseline CRP or ESR levels available.
¶The mean uric acid level was calculated among patients with baseline uric acid levels available.
ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; CRP, C reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.