Table 2 Crude and adjusted baseline characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis patients and controls^a

Demographics

   Age (years)

59 ± 9

64 ± 10

<0.001

-

-

-

-

   Female

118 (60.5)

526 (49.0)

0.003

-

-

-

-

   Race

Caucasian

169 (85.8)

540 (50.3)

<0.001

-

-

-

-

African American

16 (8.2)

533 (49.7)

Other

10 (5.1)

0 (0)

   Education

Some college or higher

147 (75.4)

741 (71.5)

0.26

69.9

73.6

-5.0

0.34

Cardiovascular risk factors

   Diabetes

11 (5.6)

142 (13.2)

0.003

8.1

11.1

-27.0

0.29

   Fasting glucose (mg/dl)

93 ± 21

105 ± 31

<0.001

95.9

103.8

-8.2

0.001

   Hypertension

Present^b

105 (53.6)

597 (55.6)

0.59

64.3

54.3

+18.4

0.018

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

128 ± 19

128 ± 21

0.93

132

125

+5.6

0.002

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

76 ± 9

72 ± 10

<0.001

77.1

71.5

+7.8

<0.001

Antihypertensive use

79 (40.5)

428 (39.9)

0.87

53.0

36.4

+45.6

<0.001

   Lipids

Total cholesterol (mg/dl)

195 ± 38

197 ± 38

0.62

194

197

-1.5

0.41

LDL cholesterol (mg/dl)

116 ± 31

117 ± 32

0.53

115.2

117.6

-2.1

0.34

HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)

55 ± 19

52 ± 15

0.03

54.4

51.6

+5.4

0.020

Triglycerides (mg/dl)

126 ± 93

118 ± 72

0.25

101.2

103.8

-2.5

0.53

Lipid medication use

34 (17.4)

231 (21.5)

0.20

16.2

21.6

-25.0

0.10

   Cigarette smoking

Current

23 (11.8)

152 (14.4)

0.33

10.1

12.9

-21.7

0.30

Ever

115 (59.0)

591 (56.9)

0.60

59.2

57.4

+3.1

0.67

   Body mass index (kg/m²)

28.4 ± 5.3

29.3 ± 5.7

0.034

28.8

29.3

-1.7

0.25

   Waist circumference (cm)

95.7 ± 15.5

99.5 ± 14.7

0.002

96.9

99.3

-2.4

0.050

   Any physical activity

144 (73.9))

832 (78.5

0.15

70.6

80.0

-11.8

0.010

   Homocysteine (μmol/l)

9.45 ± 2.80

9.28 ± 3.23

0.45

9.49

8.88

+6.9

0.003

   Serum inflammatory markers

C-reactive protein (mg/l)

2.5 (1.1 to 7.2)

2.2 (1.0 to 4.7)

0.03

3.0

2.1

+44.0

<0.001

IL-6 (pg/ml)

3.9 (1.8 to 7.8)

1.3 (0.8 to 2.0)

<0.001

4.0

1.3

+208

<0.001

Fibrinogen (mg/dl)

335(278 to 416)

340 (294 to 390)

0.98

358

338

+5.9

0.001

sICAM-1 (ng/ml)

299(229 to 371)

261 (219 to 307)

<0.001

293

259

+13.1

<0.001

E-selectin (ng/ml)

49 (30 to 73)

50 (40 to 63)

0.46

50

49

+1.4

0.85

Composite risk factors

   Framingham 10-year risk^c (%)

7 ± 7

8 ± 7

0.04

9.35

8.25

+13.3

0.006

   Reynolds Risk Score (women only) (%)

1.0 (0 to 2.0)

1.4 (0.2 to 2.7)

0.001

1.50

1.42

+5.6

0.60

   Metabolic syndrome (Adult Treatment Panel III)

44 (22.6)

368 (34.5)

<0.001

24.4

34.0

-28.2

0.016