Table 2

Baseline clinical characteristics of each cohort

N = 251/group

Group A (RA)

Group B (DM)

Group C (GP)

P, All three

P, A versus C

Exercise status

No data

165 (66%)

145 (58%)

154 (61%)

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Never

30 (12%)

46 (18%)

29 (12%)

Infrequently 1-2×/week

15 (6%)

11 (4%)

9 (4%)

Moderately 3-5×/week

31 (12%)

18 (7%)

15 (6%)

Regularly > 5×/week

10 (4%)

31 (12%)

43 (17%)

BMI

28.5 (7.5)

34.9 (8.9)

28.8 (7.9)

< 0.0001

0.4

Smoking status

Never

167 (67%)

155 (62%)

151 (60%)

0.2

0.7

Past

48 (19%)

48 (19%)

44 (18%)

Current

36 (14%)

48 (19%)

56 (22%)

SBP

121.8 (13.0)

130.5 (13.0)

125.0 (14.1)

< 0.0001

0.02

DBP

73.3 (7.6)

72.9 (8.6)

73.2 (8.0)

0.6

0.8

Number BP measurements

6.5 (5.8)

5.8 (2.9)

4.3 (3.0)

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

HDL

58.3 (17.1)

46.8 (12.9)

54.3 (15.9)

< 0.0001

0.01

LDL

113.7 (32.4)

99.5 (37.1)

111.4 (29.1)

< 0.0001

0.5

Triglycerides

116.9 (64.1)

192.8 (178.9)

130.6 (79.4)

< 0.0001

0.1

Fasting glucose

Mean (std)

90.3 (9.3)

165.5 (82.3)

93.6 (10.7)

< 0.0001

0.003

N

206

166

175

BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; DM, diabetes mellitus; GP, general population; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SBP, systolic blood pressure.

Desai et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R270   doi:10.1186/ar4118