Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the incident rheumatoid arthritis cohort

Female

7,639

67.4

Age in years at cohort entry

65.3

14.5

Recipient of social assistance at cohort entry^a

939

8.3

Urban residence^a

8,884

78.4

High healthcare use at baseline

2981

26.3

Prior joint replacement

352

3.14

Comorbidities

 Myocardial infarction

291

2.6

 Diabetes

1,668

14.7

 Osteoporosis

1,722

15.2

 Cerebrovascular disease

54

0.48

 Acute renal failure

314

2.8

 Chronic renal failure

298

2.6

 Coronary artery disease

1,952

17.2

 COPD-asthma

2,587

22.8

 Any type of cancer

1,326

11.7

 Osteoarthritis

3,469

30.6

 Charlson comorbidity

1.2

1.9

Drug use prior to cohort entry

GC

4,360

38.5

 COXIBs

4,824

42.6

 NSAIDs

4,491

39.6