@article {Crowsonjrheum.160026, author = {Aaron D. Crowson and Robert C. Colligan and Eric L. Matteson and John M. Davis III and Cynthia S. Crowson}, title = {Explanatory Style in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Unrecognized Predictor of Mortality}, elocation-id = {jrheum.160026}, year = {2016}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.160026}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective To determine whether pessimistic explanatory style altered the risk for and mortality of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods The study included subjects from a population-based cohort with incident RA and a non-RA comparison cohort who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Results Among 148 RA and 135 non-RA subjects, pessimism was associated with development of rheumatoid factor (RF){\textendash}positive RA. Pessimism was associated with an increased risk of mortality [HR 2.88 with similar magnitude to RF+ (HR 2.28)]. Conclusion Pessimistic explanatory style was associated with an increased risk of developing RA and increased mortality rate in patients with RA.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2016/11/09/jrheum.160026}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2016/11/09/jrheum.160026.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }