The ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of the Spanish patients with RA included in the study

Clinical feature	% (n/N)
Patients	502
Main characteristics
Age at the time of disease onset (years, mean ± SD)	50.8 ± 14.5
Follow-up (years, mean ± SD)	9.5 ± 8.1
Percentage of women	77.7
Rheumatoid factor positive^a	60.6 (297/490)
Anti-CCP antibodies positive	51.9 (227/437)
Shared epitope positive	62.1 (179/288)
Extra-articular manifestations^b	21 (107/502)
Cardiovascular risk factors
Hypertension	22.7 (110/484)
Diabetes mellitus	6.6 (32/484)
Dyslipidemia	15.1 (73/484)
Obesity	9.7 (47/484)
Smoking habit	27.9 (135/484)
Patients with cardiovascular events	10.7 (54/502)
Ischemic heart disease	4.6 (23/502)
Heart failure	1.9 (10/502)
Cerebrovascular accident	3.8 (19/502)
Peripheral arteriopathy	1.2 (6/502)

^aAt least two determinations were required; ^bextra-articular manifestations of the disease (if RA patients experienced at least one of the following manifestations: nodular disease, Felty’s syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis, rheumatoid vasculitis, or secondary Sjögren’s syndrome) [12]. Anti-CCP antibodies, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SD, standard deviation.

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