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Table 1 Patient characteristics for all rheumatoid arthritis patients at baseline and at follow-up a

From: Classical cardiovascular disease risk factors associate with vascular function and morphology in rheumatoid arthritis: a six-year prospective study

Characteristics

Baseline (2006)

Follow-up (2012)

General characteristics

  

  Age (years)

61 (53 to 67)

67 (59 to 73)

  Female, n (%)

155 (77)

155 (77)

  Body mass index (kg/m2)

27 (24 to 30)

28 (24 to 32)

Disease characteristics

  

  Age at RA onset (years)

46 ± 13

–

  Disease duration (years)

10 (4 to 18)

16 (11 to 25)

  Rheumatoid factor-positive, n (%)

148 (74)

148 (74)

  Anti-CCP autoantibody-positive, n (%)

123 (61)

123 (61)

  DAS28 score

4.0 (3.1 to 4.8)

3.1 (2.5 to 4.0)

  C-reactive protein (mg/L)

7.5 (4.3 to 16)

3 (2.9 to 8.5)

  Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h)

17 (8 to 30)

12 (5 to 23)

  HAQ

1.3 ± 0.9

1.6 ± 0.9

  Extraarticular manifestations, n (%)b

147 (73)

–

Cardiovascular disease risk factors

  

  Hypertension, n (%)

132 (66)

130 (65)

  Dyslipidaemia, n (%)

115 (57)

158 (79)

  Insulin resistance, n (%)

65 (32)

53 (26)

  Diabetes, n (%)

7 (4)

21 (10)

  Current smokers

33 (16)

23 (11)

Global cardiovascular disease riskc

  

  Framingham risk score (%)

4.6 ± 5.3

9.2 ± 6.3

  Reynolds risk score (%)

6.3 ± 6.4

9.6 ± 8.3

RA medications

  

  Methotrexate, n (%)

128 (64)

122 (61)

  Hydroxychloroquine, n (%)

36 (18)

50 (25)

  Prednisolone, n (%)

58 (29)

51 (25)

  Prednisolone dose (mg)

6 ± 3

7 ± 8

  NSAIDs, n (%)

47 (23)

26 (13)

  Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors, n (%)

14 (7)

5 (2.5)

  Anti-TNFα therapy, n (%)

20 (10)

57 (28)

  Tociluzimab, n (%)

–

3 (1.5)

Cardiovascular medications

  

  Antihypertensives, n (%)

81 (40)

79 (39)

  Antihypercholesterolaemics, n (%)

33 (16)

74 (37)

  β-blockers, n (%)

32 (16)

22 (11)

  Calcium channel blockers, n (%)

26 (13)

27 (13)

  1. aAnti-CCP, anticyclic citrullinated peptide; Anti-TNFα, anti–tumour necrosis factor α; DAS28, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis. bData were available for patients at baseline only. Extraarticular manifestations include the presence of nodules, eye abnormalities, systemic vasculitis, erosions, nailfold vasculitis, sicca, pulmonary fibrosis and serositis. cCalculated in patients free of cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. Results are expressed as median (25th to 75th percentile value), number (%) or mean ± SD.