Number of events (n), PYR and incidence rates (N/1000 PYR) of death in 17 512 patients with new-onset RA identified between 1997 and 2015 and in an individually matched general population comparator cohort (n=78 847). HR (RR) and 95% CI with the matching factors taken into account and adjusted for age and educational level. Overall and by sex, rheumatoid factor status, DAS28 at diagnosis, age at diagnosis and calendar period of diagnosis
| Patients with new-onset RA | General population comparator subjects | HR (95% CI) | |||||
| n | PYR | Incidence rate | n | PYR | Incidence rate | ||
| Overall | 2386 | 123 360 | 19.3 (17.3 to 21.4) | 9850 | 549 769 | 17.9 (17.0 to 18.9) | 1.01 (0.96 to 1.06) |
| Women | 1412 | 86 162 | 16.4 (14.1 to 18.7) | 5607 | 381 574 | 14.7 (13.7 to 15.7) | 1.06 (1.00 to 1.13) |
| Men | 974 | 37 197 | 26.2 (21.9 to 30.4) | 4243 | 168 194 | 25.2 (23.3 to 27.2) | 0.93 (0.86 to 1.00) |
| Seropositive RA | 1585 | 81 455 | 19.5 (16.9 to 22.0) | 9850 | 549 769 | 17.9 (17.0 to 18.9) | 1.20 (1.13 to 1.28) |
| Seronegative RA | 801 | 41 904 | 19.1 (15.7 to 22.5) | 9850 | 549 769 | 17.9 (17.0 to 18.9) | 0.75 (0.70 to 0.82) |
| DAS28≤3.2 at diagnosis | 162 | 11 777 | 13.8 (8.7 to 18.9) | 9850 | 549 769 | 17.9 (17.0 to 18.9) | 0.77 (0.64 to 0.92) |
| DAS28>3.2 at diagnosis | 1981 | 100 723 | 19.7 (17.3 to 22.0) | 9850 | 549 769 | 17.9 (17.0 to 18.9) | 1.02 (0.97 to 1.07) |
| Age at diagnosis (years) | |||||||
| <53 | 104 | 44 010 | 2.4 (1.1 to 3.6) | 397 | 201 205 | 2.0 (1.4 to 2.5) | 1.15 (0.92 to 1.44) |
| 53 to <63 | 355 | 34 028 | 10.4 (7.4 to 13.5) | 1306 | 152 182 | 8.6 (7.3 to 9.9) | 1.20 (1.06 to 1.35) |
| 63 to <72 | 663 | 25 622 | 25.9 (20.9 to 30.8) | 2418 | 113 358 | 21.3 (19.2 to 23.5) | 1.20 (1.10 to 1.32) |
| ≥72 | 1264 | 19 697 | 64.2 (55.8 to 72.5) | 5729 | 83 022 | 69.0 (64.9 to 73.1) | 0.86 (0.80 to 0.92) |
| Calendar period | |||||||
| 1997–2001 | 924 | 38 553 | 24.0 (18.2 to 29.7) | 3613 | 172 746 | 20.9 (18.4 to 23.5) | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.18) |
| 2002–2006 | 815 | 40 849 | 20.0 (15.6 to 24.4) | 3242 | 180 754 | 17.9 (16.0 to 19.9) | 1.02 (0.94 to 1.10) |
| 2007–2011 | 535 | 33 580 | 15.9 (12.6 to 19.3) | 2372 | 149 719 | 15.8 (14.3 to 17.4) | 0.95 (0.86 to 1.05) |
| 2012–2015 | 112 | 10 375 | 10.8 (8.0 to 13.6) | 623 | 46 549 | 13.4 (11.9 to 14.9) | 0.77 (0.63 to 0.95) |
DAS28, Disease Activity Score 28-joint counts; PYR, person-years at risk; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RR, relative risk.