Table 1 Baseline demographic, anthropometric, RA-related, and CVD characteristics, and atherosclerotic measurements for the total RA population as well as the exercise and control groups

 Age, years

63.6 ± 5.53

64.0 ± 5.4

62.7 ± 5.9

0.469

 Height, cm

153.8 ± 5.6

154.2 ± 5.7

153.0 ± 5.6

0.506

 Weight, kg

54.0 ± 7.8

53.7 ± 7.6

54.6 ± 8.4

0.725

 BMI, kg/m²

22.8 ± 2.9

22.5 ± 2.7

23.4 ± 3.2

0.388

 Waist circumference, cm

79.3 ± 8.4

78.3 ± 8.5

81.4 ± 8.1

0.259

 Waist-hip ratio

0.86 ± 0.53

0.85 ± 0.01

0.87 ± 0.05

0.142

 Hypertension

23 (53.5)

15 (51.7)

8 (57.1)

0.739

 Diabetes mellitus

3 (7.0)

1 (3.4)

2 (14.3)

0.191

 Dyslipidemia

20 (46.5)

12 (41.4)

8 (57.1)

0.331

 Coronary artery disease

2 (4.6)

1 (3.4)

1 (7.1)

0.590

 Cerebrovascular disease

4 (9.3)

2 (6.9)

2 (14.3)

0.434

 Smoking

6 (13.9)

2 (6.9)

4 (28.6)

0.133

 Methotrexate

36 (83.7)

24 (82.8)

12 (85.7)

0.806

 Hydroxychloroquine

17 (39.5)

11 (37.9)

6 (42.9)

0.757

 Sulfasalazine

5 (11.6)

3 (10.3)

2 (14.3)

0.706

 Leflunomide

11 (25.6)

7 (24.1)

4 (28.6)

0.755

 Glucocorticoids

31 (72.1)

21 (72.4)

10 (71.4)

0.946

 Dosage, median, mg/day

2.5

2.5

2.5

0.168

 Disease duration, years

12.0 ± 9.2

10.3 ± 9.4

15.4 ± 8.0

0.092

 anti-CCP, n (%)

38 (88.4)

24 (82.8)

14 (100)

0.307

 Swollen joint count, 0–69 joints

1.2 ± 2.4

1.5 ± 2.9

0.6 ± 0.9

0.237

 Tender joint count, 0–69 joints

3.6 ± 4.7

4.5 ± 5.5

1.6 ± 1.5

0.012

 DAS-28-ESR

3.7 ± 1.0

3.8 ± 1.1

3.5 ± 0.6

0.229

 RAPID3

9.4 ± 4.5

9.4 ± 4.7

9.2 ± 4.0

0.895

 HAQ

0.54 ± 0.46

0.63 ± 0.50

0.35 ± 0.29

0.024

 ESR

31.7 ± 21.9

31.4 ± 22.7

32.2 ± 21.0

0.908

 CRP

0.44 ± 0.44

0.48 ± 0.49

0.36 ± 0.34

0.384

 Systolic BP, mm Hg

130.5 ± 11.6

129.2 ± 12.1

133.1 ± 10.5

0.313

 Diastolic BP, mm Hg

77.6 ± 5.2

77.0 ± 4.8

78.7 ± 6.0

0.331

 Heart rate

72.0 ± 6.1

72.5 ± 5.4

71.0 ± 7.5

0.473

 Total cholesterol, mg/dl

184.6 ± 35.8

187.3 ± 36.1

179.0 ± 35.6

0.480

 Triglycerides, mg/dl

112.2 ± 47.4

108.7 ± 36.6

122.14 ± 54.3

0.343

 HDL, mg/dl

61.6 ± 12.0

63.9 ± 12.1

56.8 ± 10.5

0.070

 LDL, mg/dl

97.9 ± 31.1

96.6 ± 31.4

100.7 ± 31.7

0.689

 Fasting glucose, mg/dl

91.5 ± 11.1

89.8 ± 9.3

95.1 ± 13.9

0.141

 Creatinine, mg/dl

0.74 ± 0.12

0.72 ± 0.12

0.76 ± 0.11

0.300

 cIMT, mm

0.68 ± 0.13

0.69 ± 0.13

0.66 ± 0.13

0.596

 FMD, %

6.00 ± 2.06

5.85 ± 2.05

6.31 ± 2.12

0.494

 baPWV, cm/s

1708.8 ± 303.3

1693.7 ± 348.3

1740.3 ± 185.3

0.643