Baseline characteristics of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and matched controls (non-SSc).
| Variables | SSc, n = 4545 | Non-SSc, n = 9090 | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs, mean ± SD | 60.9 ± 12.9 | 61.0 ± 13.1 | 0.49 |
| Female | 789 (17) | 1578 (17) | 1.00 |
| Race | 1.00 | ||
| White | 2725 (60) | 5450 (60) | |
| Black | 780 (17) | 1560 (17) | |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 29 (0.6) | 58 (0.6) | |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 27 (0.6) | 54 (0.6) | |
| Asian | 26 (0.6) | 52 (0.6) | |
| > 1 race | 958 (21) | 1916 (21) | |
| Smoking status | 1.00 | ||
| Never | 1287 (28) | 2574 (28) | |
| Ever | 2247 (49) | 4494 (49) | |
| Unknown | 1011 (22) | 2022 (22) | |
| Comorbidity accumulation time, yrs, mean ± SD† | 3.7 ± 3.9 | 3.7 ± 3.9 | 1.00 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 342 (7.5) | 425 (4.7) | < 0.001 |
| Hypertension | 2726 (60) | 4807 (52) | < 0.001 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 1164 (26) | 1940 (21) | < 0.001 |
| Non-cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease | 1479 (33) | 2118 (23) | < 0.001 |
| Hyperlipidemia or statin use | 2124 (47) | 4423 (49) | 0.034 |
| Aspirin use‡ | 784 (17) | 1134 (12) | < 0.001 |
| NSAID use‡ | 1364 (30) | 2008 (22) | < 0.001 |
| Medicare enrollment§ | 3403 (75) | 6148 (68) | < 0.001 |
Values are n (%) unless otherwise specified.
↵† Time interval between first VA encounter and reference date.
↵‡ Filled prescription and/or recorded non-VA medication in 12 months prior to start of followup.
↵§ Enrollment in Medicare for at least 1 year during followup period. VA: Veterans Affairs; NSAID: nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug.