Baseline characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and non-RA subjects.
| Characteristic | RA, n = 442 | Non-RA, n = 424 |
|---|---|---|
| Age at RA incidence/index date, mean ± SD, yrs | 55.5 ± 15.6 | 55.7 ± 15.6 |
| Female, n (%) | 309 (70) | 293 (69) |
| Length of followup, mean ± SD, yrs | 7.1 ± 2.6 | 7.3 ± 2.6 |
| BP measurements | ||
| Total number | 13,460 | 9467 |
| Median, measures per subject | 27.0 | 19.0 |
| Median time between BP measurements, days | 30.0 | 27.0 |
| HTN, diagnosis at index date, n (%) | 282 (64) | 235 (55) |
| Antihypertensive medications, n (%) | ||
| At index date | 144 (33) | 131 (31) |
| During the followup | 216 (49) | 193 (46) |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||
| Current | 72 (16) | 61 (14) |
| Former | 152 (34) | 125 (29) |
| Alcohol abuse | 35 (8) | 26 (6) |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 48 (11) | 43 (10) |
| Dyslipidemia, n (%) | 266 (60) | 248 (58) |
| BMI, mean ± SD, kg/m2 | 28.6 ± 6.1 | 28.8 ± 6.7 |
| BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, n (%) | 158 (36) | 160 (38) |
| Family history of ischemic heart disease, n (%) | 103 (23) | 99 (23) |
| Personal history of CV disease, n (%) | 48 (11) | 59 (14) |
BMI: body mass index; BP: blood pressure; HTN: hypertension; CV: cardiovascular.