Table 1 Characteristics and pulse wave analysis for rheumatoid arthritis patients in both cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts

Age (years)

61 ± 12

59 ± 13

53 ± 13

Sex female

176 (80)

103 (81)

21 (68)

Disease-related characteristics

   Disease duration (years)

17 ± 12

10 ± 10

13 ± 13

   Rheumatoid factor-positive (%)

126 (79)

n/a

23 (74)

   Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/hour)

12 (7 to 26)

22 (12 to 38) (n = 112)

10 (4 to 16)

   C-reactive protein (mg/l)

3 (3 to 12)

5 (3 to12)

18 (9 to 33)

   DAS28

3.29 ± 1.26

n/a

4.32 ± 0.87

   HAQ

1.6 ± 0.9

n/a

2.19 ± 0.42

Classical CVD risk factors

   Body mass index

29 ± 6

33 ± 12

29 ± 6

   Current smokers

33 (15)

40 (31)

7 (23)

   Diabetes mellitus

17 (8)

10 (8)

0 (0)

   Dyslipidaemia

60 (27)

30 (24)

7 (23)

   SBP (mmHg)

134 ± 18

134 ± 18

130 ± 14

   DBP (mmHg)

79 ± 11

79 ± 10

81 ± 11

   Heart rate (beats/minute)

74 ± 13

68 ± 11

73 ± 12

   Total cholesterol (mmol/l)

5.0 ± 1.0

5.2 ± 0.9 (n = 114)

5.0 ± 0.9

   HDL (mmol/l)

1.5 ± 0.4

1.6 ± 0.7 (n = 102)

1.5 ± 0.3

   Triglycerides (mmol/l)

1.3 ± 0.6

1.2 ± 0.4 (n = 95)

1.5 ± 0.6

   TC:HDL ratio

3.5 ± 1.1

3.5 ± 0.8 (n = 102)

3.5 ± 0.8

RA disease-specific medications

   Methotrexate

124 (65)

76 (60)

19 (61)

   Sulfasalazine

44 (24)

0

5 (16)

   Hydroxychloroquine

50 (28)

0

4 (13)

   Leflunomide

15 (9)

16 (13)

0 (0)

   Prednisolone

48 (26)

85 (67)

6 (19)

   NSAID

34 (20)

3 (2)

6 (19)

   COX II inhibitors

12 (7)

0 (0)

2 (7)

   Analgesic

74 (40)

n/a

8 (26)

   Folic acid

118 (63)

63 (50)

16 (52)

   Anti-TNFα

44 (20)

51 (40)

--

CVD medications

   Anti-hypertensive

67 (36)

68 (66)

6 (19)

   Anti-hypercholesterolemics

57 (31)

23 (18)

4 (13)

   Beta-blocker

20 (11)

28 (22)

2 (7)

   Calcium channel-blocker

24 (14)

19 (15)

0 (0)

Pulse wave analysis

   Ejection duration (m/second)

312 ± 27

331 ± 26

320 ± 25

   Pulse pressure (mmHg)^b

46 ± 13^a

54 ± 14

-

   Mean pressure (mmHg)

99 ± 12

97 ± 11

99 ± 10

   Tension time index

2,424 ± 402

2,485 ± 441

2,359 ± 368

   Diastolic time index

3,493 ± 462

3,443 ± 472

3,523 ± 651

   SEVR (%)

148 ± 27

142 ± 25

157 ± 33

   Augmentation index (%)

33 ± 9

34 ± 10

32 ± 9