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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients included in the study, N = 3021

From: Higher education is associated with a better rheumatoid arthritis outcome concerning for pain and function but not disease activity: results from the EIRA cohort and Swedish rheumatology register

 

With university/college degree

Without university/college degree

Total

Chi square statistics, p values

A: Basic characteristics

number (%)

number (%)

number (%)

 

Sex

 Female

586 (82.4)

1585 (68.6)

2171 (71.9)

51.2, <0.0001

 Male

125 (17.6)

725 (31.4)

850 (28.1)

Age (years) at diagnosis

 <40

164 (23.1)

410 (17.8)

574 (19.0)

44.6, <0.0001

 40–50

160 (22.5)

370 (16.0)

530 (17.5)

 50–60

215 (30.2)

694 (30.0)

909 (30.1)

 60–70

172 (24.2)

836 (36.2)

1008 (33.4)

 Median

51.0

52.4

54.5

Treatment initiated at the diagnosis

 DMARDs (including MTX)

606 (85.2)

2004 (86.8)

2610 (86.4)

1.1, 0.30

 Biologics

32 (4.5)

145 (6.3)

177 (5.9)

3.1, 0.08

 Cortisone

276 (38.8)

946 (41.0)

1223 (40.5)

1.0, 0.32

 NSAIDs

384 (54.0)

1153 (49.9)

1537 (50.9)

0.6, 0.06

ACPA status

 Present

458 (65.2)

1521 (66.8)

1979 (66.4)

0.6, 0.44

 Absent

245 (34.8)

757 (33.2)

1002 (33.6)

Cigarette smoking

 Never

297 (41.8)

674 (29.3)

971 (32.4)

76.0, <0.0001

 Past smokers

216 (30.5)

701 (30.5)

917 (30.4)

 Current smokers

106 (14.9)

682 (29.7)

788 (26.2)

 Non regular smokers

91 (12.8)

242 (10.5)

333 (11.0)

Alcohol consumption

 Never drinkers

49 (6.9)

266 (11.5)

315 (10.4)

12.5, 0.0004

 Ever drinkers

662 (93.1)

2041 (88.5)

2703 (89.6)

BMI

 Normal weight: BMI <25

445 (63.9)

1103 (48.6)

1548 (52.2)

51.1, <0.0001

 Overweight: BMI 25–30

189 (27.1)

821 (36.2)

1010 (34.1)

 Obese: BMI >30

63 (9.0)

344 (15.2)

407 (13.7)

 Median

23.7

25.1

24.8

Physical activity before diagnosis

 Sedentary/moderate exercise

518 (73.0)

1513 (65.8)

2031 (67.5)

12.7, 0.0004

 Regular exercise/work out

192 (27.0)

787 (34.2)

979 (32.5)

B: Outcome measures

Median (IQR)

Median (IQR)

Median (IQR)

P values (Wilcoxon test)

DAS28 at diagnosis

5.23 (4.26 to 6.05)

5.21 (4.32 to 6.07)

5.22 (4.30 to 6.06)

0.93

VAS-pain at diagnosis

49 (28 to 67)

53 (33 to 71)

51 (32 to 70)

<0.0001

HAQ at diagnosis

0.88 (0.50 to 1.38)

1.00 (0.63 to 1.50)

1.00 (0.63 to 1.38)

0.001

DAS28 change at 3-month visit

–1.69 (–2.80 to –0.72)

–1.63 (–2.72 to –0.62)

–1.65 (–2.74 to –0.63)

0.19

VAS-pain change at 3-month visit

–17 (–40 to –2)

–20 (–43 to –1)

–19 (–42 to –1)

0.69

HAQ change at 3-month visit

–0.38 (–0.75 to 0.00)

–0.37 (–0.75 to 0.00)

–0.37 (–0.75 to 0.00)

0.28

DAS28 change at 6-month visit

–2.19 (–3.13 to –1.01)

–2.02 (–3.06 to –0.91)

–2.05 (–3.08 to –0.93)

0.19

VAS-pain change at 6-month visit

–20 (–41 to –2)

–21 (–43 to –1)

–21 (–42 to –1)

0.94

HAQ change at 6-month visit

–0.50 (–0.88 to –0.12)

–0.38 (–0.87 to 0.00)

–0.38 (–0.87 to 0.00)

0.19

DAS28 change at 1-year visit

–2.37 (–3.40 to –1.28)

–2.16 (–3.30 to –0.96)

–2.21 (–3.32 to –1.03)

0.02

VAS-pain change at 1-year visit

–20 (–42 to –5)

–22 (–43 to 0)

–21 (–43 to –1)

0.72

HAQ change at 1-year visit

–0.50 (–0.88 to –0.13)

–0.38 (–0.88 to 0.00)

–0.38 (–0.88 to 0.00)

0.02

  1. DMARD disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, MTX methotrexate, NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ACPA anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies, BMI body mass index, DAS28 disease activity in 28 joints, VAS visual analog scale, HAQ health assessment questionnaire