Table 1

Baseline patient characteristics of patients included in final analyses

All patients (n=115)MTX+TNF inhibitor (n=58)Triple therapy (n=57)
n (%) or median (IQR)
Age, years58.0 (53.0, 65.0)58.0 (53.0, 66.0)59.0 (54.0, 63.0)
Sex, female82 (71.3)39 (67.2)43 (75.4)
Race
 White90 (80.4)49 (87.5)41 (73.2)
 Black12 (10.7)6 (10.7)6 (10.7)
 Other10 (8.9)1 (1.8)9 (16.1)
Ethnicity
 Hispanic31 (27.0)15 (25.9)16 (28.1)
 Non-Hispanic84 (73.0)43 (74.1)41 (71.9)
RA disease duration, years1.4 (0.5, 6.6)1.5 (0.5, 7.2)1.4 (0.5, 5.3)
Serologic status, positive63 (56.8)35 (61.4)28 (51.9)
DAS28-CRP4.8 (4.0, 5.6)4.9 (4.0, 5.5)4.6 (3.7, 5.6)
hsCRP (mg/L)3.9 (1.6, 9.8)3.9 (1.4, 7.6)4.0 (1.8, 11.1)
Glucocorticoid use38 (33.0)20 (34.5)18 (31.6)
NSAID use46 (40.0)26 (33.8)20 (35.1)
Aspirin use28 (24.4)19 (32.8)9 (15.8)
Methotrexate weekly dose (mg)20.0 (15.0, 25.0)20.0 (20.0, 25.0)20.0 (15.0, 25.0)
Heath assessment questionnaire1.1 (0.5, 1.8)1.1 (0.4, 1.8)1.3 (0.6, 1.6)
Body mass index (kg/m2)29.3 (25.7, 33.2)29.5 (26.2, 34.1)28.8 (25.7, 32.9)
Hypertension52 (45.2)28 (48.3)24 (42.1)
Hyperlipidaemia23 (20.0)12 (20.7)11 (19.3)
Diabetes mellitus2 (1.7)2 (3.5)0 (0.0)
Tobacco use
 Current14 (12.2)4 (6.9)10 (17.5)
 Past30 (26.1)18 (31.0)12 (21.1)
 Never71 (61.7)36 (62.1)35 (61.4)
Statin use
 None93 (80.9)47 (81.0)46 (80.7)
 Low-moderate intensity20 (17.4)10 (17.2)10 (17.5)
 High intensity*2 (1.7)1 (1.7)1 (1.8)
Any cardiovascular risk factor†63 (54.8)31 (53.5)32 (56.1)
  • *High intensity statin use was an exclusion. The inclusion of these two patients was considered a protocol violation and only determined after randomisation and treatment initiation.

  • †Cardiovascular risk factors include the presence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia or current tobacco use (all self-reported at baseline).

  • DAS28, disease activity score in 28 joints; hsCRP, high sensitivity C reactive protein; MTX, methotrexate; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.