Table 1.

Characteristics of patients with RA by decade of incidence.

Decade of RA Incidence
1980-1989,
n = 200
1990-1999,
n = 299
2000-2009,
n = 406
Total,
N = 905
P
Age at index date, yrs, mean (SD)57.4 (15.6)56.2 (15.9)55.0 (15.4)55.9 (15.6)0.16
Sex, female136 (68)197 (65.9)288 (70.9)621 (68.6)0.35
RF/ACPA positivity134 (67.7)209 (69.9)282 (69.6)625 (69.3)0.85
Erosion/destructive changes on radiographs
      in the first year of RA
51 (25.5)75 (25.1)116 (28.6)242 (26.7)0.53
Highest ESR during first year of RA, mean (SD)39.0 (27.7)31.5 (25.1)30.1 (24.7)32.5 (25.7)< 0.001
Smoking status< 0.001
      Never79 (39.5)124 (41.5)211 (52)414 (45.7)
      Former55 (27.5)115 (38.5)133 (32.8)303 (33.5)
      Current66 (33)60 (20.1)62 (15.3)188 (20.8)
BMI at index datea, mean (SD)26.1 (5.1)27.5 (5.5)29.2 (6.7)28.0 (6.1)< 0.001
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30)33 (16.5)83 (27.8)168 (41.4)284 (31.4)< 0.001
Physician diagnosis of HTN77 (38.5)105 (35.1)184 (45.3)366 (40.4)0.02
DM22 (11)24 (8)51 (12.6)97 (10.7)0.16
Dyslipidemia81 (40.5)172 (57.5)258 (63.5)511 (56.5)< 0.001
CHDb22 (11)36 (12)43 (10.6)101 (11.2)0.83
Treatments in first year of RA incidence
      MTX4 (2)83 (27.8)237 (58.4)324 (35.8)< 0.001
      HCQ50 (25)134 (44.8)226 (55.7)410 (45.3)< 0.001
      Conventional synthetic DMARD55 (27.5)44 (14.7)37 (9.1)136 (15)< 0.001
      Biologics
            Total0 (0)1 (0.3)45 (11.1)46 (5.1)< 0.001
            TNFi0 (0)1 (0.3)45 (11.1)46 (5.1)< 0.001
            Non-TNFi biologics0 (0)0 (0)1 (0.2)1 (0.1)0.54
      JAKi0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)
      GCs (oral, IV, or intramuscular)50 (25)179 (59.9)281 (69.2)510 (56.4)< 0.001
Any HF by chart review (ie, Framingham or
      physician diagnosis) prior to or on index date
7 (3.5)10 (3.3)13 (3.2)30 (3.3)0.98
Physician diagnosis of HF prior to or on
      incidence date
7 (3.5)10 (3.3)12 (3.0)29 (3.2)0.92
Physician diagnosis of inpatient with HF prior
      to or on incidence date
4 (2)6 (2)5 (1.2)15 (1.7)0.66
Framingham criteria for HF met prior to or
      on incidence date
7 (3.5)8 (2.7)10 (2.5)25 (2.8)0.76
ICD-9/10 (1 code) for HF prior to or on
      incidence date
10 (5)15 (5)20 (4.9)45 (5)0.99
ICD-9/10 (2 codes) for HF prior to or
      on incidence date
5 (2.5)6 (2)8 (2)19 (2.1)0.90
Duration from RA incidence to last follow-up,
      yrs, mean (SD)
19.0 (11.2)16.8 (7.2)10.7 (3.9)14.5 (8.1)
  • Data are in n (%) unless otherwise indicated.

  • a BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

  • b CHD was defined as the presence of one of the following: angina pectoris, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction (including silent events), and coronary revascularization procedures (ie, percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting). ACPA: anticitrullinated protein antibody; CHD: coronary heart disease; DM: diabetes mellitus; DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GC: glucocorticoid; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; HF: heart failure; HTN: hypertension; ICD-10: International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision; ICD-9: ICD, 9th revision; IV: intravenous; JAKi: Janus kinase inhibitors; MTX: methotrexate; RA: rheumatoid arthritis; RF: rheumatoid factor; TNFi: tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.