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Table 1 Baseline population characteristics

From: A rational use of glucocorticoids in patients with early arthritis has a minimal impact on bone mass

 

Total (n = 116)

RA (n = 78)

UA (n = 38)

P

Age

52.5 [38.5-65.6]

51.6 [43.0-66.7]

53.5 [34.0-64.5]

NS

Female gender, n (%)

90 (77.6)

63 (80.7)

27 (71.1)

NS

Disease duration (mo)

6.1 [4.2-9.1]

5.6 [4.0-8.4]

6.75 [4.5-9.8]

NS

HAQ

1.0 [0.5-1.5]

1.1 [0.5-1.6]

0.8 [0.5-1.3]

NS

DAS28

3.9 [3.2-5.2]

4.5 [3.6-5.8]

3.3 [2.8-4.6]

0.001

Rheumatoid factor, n (%)

45 (38.8)

38 (48.7)

7 (18.4)

0.002

Anti-CCP, n (%)

39 (33.6)

36 (46.1)

3 (7.9)

<0.001

Comorbidities: n (%)

    

   Hypertension

35 (30.2)

22 (28.2)

13 (34.2)

NS

   Diabetes mellitus

13 (11.2)

8 (10.2)

5 (13.2)

NS

   Thyroid dysfunction

17 (14.6)

15 (19.2)

2 (5.2)

0.1

Menopause (% of women)

58

59

56

NS

Age at menopause (years)

50 [44-52]

48 [44-50]

52 [50-53]

0.017

Calcium intake

(rare/moderate/high), (%)

15/62/23

14/65/21

16/58/26

NS

Smoking n (%)

28 (24.1)

19 (24.4)

9 (23.7)

NS

Exercise (rare/moderate/intense) (%)

38/47/15

42/42/16

29/58/13

NS

Body mass index (kg/m2)

26.5 [24.5-30.5]

26.0 [24.0-30.0]

28.0 [26.0-30.9]

NS

Prior personal fractures (%)

17

18

16

NS

Prior family fractures (%)

19

18

24

NS

  1. Data are shown as the percentage of patients or as the median and interquartile range.
  2. Abbreviations: anti-CCP, antibodies directed to cyclic citrullinated peptide; DAS28, disease activity score in 28 joints; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; NS, not statistically significant; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; UA, undifferentiated arthritis.