Demographic characteristics and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) history of users of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) medications and nonusers.
| Characteristic | Anti-TNF Use, n = 104 cases | No Anti-TNF Use, n = 164 cases | T test or Chi-square p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs, mean ± SD | 58.7 ± 12.4 | 64.4 ± 10.5 | < 0.0001 |
| Sex female, % | 84 | 90 | 0.15 |
| Body mass index, mean ± SD | 28.7 ± 6.3 | 28.3 ± 6.3 | 0.64 |
| RA flare rate, % | 26 (n = 77) | 20 (n = 121) | 0.31 |
| VAS pain score 6+ mo postsurgery on survey | 34.8 ± 27.7 | 40.1 ± 27.1 | 0.16 |
| Prednisone use, % | 27 | 37 | 0.10 |
| Prednisone dose at time of surgery, mg, mean ± SD | 7 ± 3.3 | 7.5 ± 4.8 | 0.59 |
| Perioperative stress dose steroid use, % | 26 | 26 | 0.73 |
| Duration of RA reported at time of survey, yrs, mean ± SD | 21.5 ± 16.3 | 19.5 ± 12.4 | 0.32 |
| Elixhauser comorbidity score*, mean ± SD | 2.1 ± 1.3 | 2.2 ± 1.4 | 0.37 |
| Nonbiologic DMARD use, % | 64 (n = 67) | 70 (n = 115) | 0.33 |
| WOMAC function score, range 0–100, mean ± SD, n = 179 | 43.6 ± 20.3 | 43.7 ± 18.61 | 0.96 |
| Euroqol (EQ-5D), range −1 to 1, mean ± SD (n = 214) | 0.58 ± 0.21 | 0.58 ± 0.20 | 0.95 |
| SF-36 function score, mean ± SD (n = 208) | 29.2 ± 7.3 | 29.1 ± 8.2 | 0.92 |
↵* Elixhauser comorbidity score estimates probability of death in hospital based on comorbid diseases; higher scores indicate greater burden of comorbid diseases. VAS: visual analog scale; WOMAC: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index; SF-36: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36; DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.