Clinical characteristics across the ApoE alleles (excluding patients taking statins). Results expressed as percentages, median (25th–75th percentile values), or mean ± SD as appropriate.
| Characteristics | Total, n = 303 | E2 allele (E2E2, E2E3), n = 43 | E3 allele (E3E3), n = 192 | E4 allele (E3E4, E4E4), n = 68 | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General demographics | |||||
| Age, yrs | 62.2 (53.0–69.1) | 63.2 (57–72.6) | 62.5 (53.8–69.1) | 58 (51.6–66.1) | 0.061 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 225 (74.8) | 28 (65.1) | 145 (75.5) | 52 (76.5) | 0.331 |
| Smoking, never/ex/current smokers, % | 137 (46.1)/107 (36.0)/53 (17.8) | 17 (40.5)/18 (42.9)/7 (16.7) | 86 (45.7)/70 (37.2)/32 (17) | 34 (50.7)/19 (28.4)/14 (20.9) | 0.596 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27.5 ± 5.0 | 26.1 (24.1–30.1) | 27 (24.2–30.9) | 26.5 (23.6–29.3) | 0.739 |
| RA characteristics | |||||
| General characteristics | |||||
| RF-positive, n (%) | 221 (74.9) | 34 (85) | 138 (73) | 49 (74.2) | 0.280 |
| ACPA-positive, n (%) | 198 (68.3) | 30 (73.2) | 124 (67.4) | 44 (67.7) | 0.767 |
| Disease duration, yrs | 10 (4–18) | 10 (3.5–17.5) | 11 (5–17) | 10 (4–16) | 0.838 |
| Disease activity | |||||
| CRP, mg/l | 9 (5–20) | 14 (6.5–23.5) | 10 (5–23) | 7 (4–11) | 0.001 |
| ESR, mm/h | 20 (9–36) | 19 (10–36.5) | 21 (9–37) | 13 (5–26) | 0.007 |
| DAS28 | 4.2 ± 1.4 | 4.3 ± 1.4 | 4.3 ± 1.4 | 3.8 ± 1.5 | 0.023 |
| Disease severity | |||||
| HAQ, 0-3 | 1.5 (0.5–2.1) | 1.5 (0.3–2.1) | 1.5 (0.5–2.1) | 1.4 (0.34–2) | 0.502 |
| Nodules, n (%) | 93 (30.7) | 11 (25.6) | 60 (31.3) | 22 (32.4) | 0.725 |
| EAD, n (%) | 200 (66.0) | 29 (67.4) | 123 (64.1) | 48 (70.6) | 0.607 |
| Joint replacement surgery, n (%) | 88 (29.0) | 13 (30.2) | 59 (30.7) | 16 (23.5) | 0.523 |
| Medications | |||||
| DMARD, n (%) | 264 (87.1) | 37 (86) | 167 (87) | 60 (88.2) | 0.940 |
| Anti-TNF, n (%) | 33 (10.9) | 4 (9.3) | 19 (9.9) | 10 (14.7) | 0.515 |
| Sulfasalazine, n (%) | 94 (31.0) | 14 (32.6) | 56 (29.2) | 24 (35.3) | 0.626 |
| Leflunomide, n (%) | 10 (3.3) | 2 (4.7) | 4 (2.1) | 4 (5.9) | 0.278 |
| Methotrexate, n (%) | 178 (58.7) | 17 (39.5) | 120 (62.5) | 41 (60.3) | 0.021 |
| Hydroxychloroquine, n (%) | 62 (20.5) | 12 (27.9) | 35 (18.2) | 15 (22.1) | 0.340 |
| Prednisolone, n (%) | 94 (31.0) | 14 (32.6) | 60 (31.3) | 20 (29.4) | 0.935 |
| Antihypertensives, n (%) | 107 (35.3) | 16 (37.2) | 68 (35.4) | 23 (33.8) | 0.935 |
| Lipids | |||||
| Total cholesterol, mmol/l | 5.5 ± 1.1 | 4.8 ± 0.9 | 5.6 ± 1.0 | 5.6 ± 1.4 | < 0.001 |
| High-density lipoproteins, mmol/l | 1.6 (1.3–1.9) | 1.6 (1.2–1.9) | 1.6 (1.3–1.9) | 1.5 (1.2–1.8) | 0.060 |
| Low-density lipoproteins, mmol/l | 3.25 ± 1.1 | 2.52 ± 1.0 | 3.3 ± 1.1 | 3.6 ± 1.3 | < 0.001 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/l | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 1.2 (1–1.4) | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 1.3 (1–1.8) | 0.278 |
| Apolipoprotein A, mmol/l | 1.7 ± 0.5 | 1.7 ± 0.4 | 1.7 ± 0.5 | 1.6 ± 0.4 | 0.397 |
| Apolipoprotein B, mmol/l | 1.0 ± 0.8 | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 1.1 ± 0.3 | < 0.001 |
| Lipoprotein (a), mmol/l | 0.09 (0.03–0.22) | 0.95 (0.04–0.22) | 0.09 (0.03–0.21) | 0.12 (0.03–0.25) | 0.848 |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| Cardiovascular disease, n (%) | 32 (10.6) | 5 (11.6) | 20 (10.4) | 7 (10.3) | 0.970 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 9 (2.9) | 1 (11.1) | 6 (66.7) | 2 (22.2) | 0.962 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 200 (66.0) | 26 (60.5) | 131 (68.2) | 43 (63.2) | 0.537 |
| Full MDRD | 83.0 (70.8–95.1) | 85.3 (66.4–95.6) | 80.1 (69.4–93.5) | 87.2 (74.6–97.9) | 0.074 |
| Metabolic syndrome 2009, n (%) | 95 (31.5) | 12 (27.9) | 57 (29.8) | 26 (38.2) | 0.381 |
| NCEP-defined dyslipidemia, n (%)* | 139 (45.9) | 8 (18.6) | 91 (47.4) | 40 (58.8) | < 0.001 |
| Serum glucose, mmol/l | 4.9 (4.6–5.3) | 4.9 (4.5–5.5) | 4.9 (4.6–5.3) | 4.8 (4.5–5.4) | 0.999 |
ApoE: apolipoprotein E; RA: rheumatoid arthritis; BMI: body mass index; RF: rheumatoid factor; ACPA: anticitrullinated protein antibodies; CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28: Disease Activity Score; HAQ: Health Assessment Questionnaire; EAD: extraarticular disease; DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; anti-TNF: anti-tumor necrosis factor; Full MDRD: modification of diet in renal disease; NCEP: US National Cholesterol Education Program.
↵* Total cholesterol ≥ 6.2 or triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/l or low-density lipoprotein ≥ 4.13 mmol/l or high-density lipoprotein < 1.03 mmol/l.