Baseline characteristics of the 990 patients analysed
| Characteristics | Missing data (%) | Men n=206 | Women n=784 | p Value |
| Age (years), mean±SD | 0 (0) | 58.7±11.6 | 57.4±14.2 | 0.20 |
| Weight (kg) | 203 (20.5) | 80.6±15.3 | 67.2±34.4 | <0.001 |
| Working, n (%) | 231 (23.3) | 54 (30.7) | 140 (24) | 0.03 |
| Smoking, n (%) | 14 (1.4) | 35 (17.0) | 65 (8.4) | <0.001 |
| Disease duration (years), median [IQR] | 4 (0.4) | 15 [9–21] | 17 [11–24] | <0.001 |
| Disease Activity Score 28, mean±SD | 163 (16.5) | 5±1.3 | 5.4±1.3 | <0.001 |
| Rheumatoid factor positivity, n (%) | 169 (17.1) | 131 (77.1) | 453 (69.6) | 0.06 |
| Anti-CCP antibodies, n (%) | 266 (26.9) | 117 (75.5) | 389 (68.4) | 0.09 |
| Extra-articular manifestations, n (%) | 21 (2.1) | 30 (14.7) | 75 (9.8) | 0.04 |
| CRP (mg/L), median [IQR] | 252 (25.5) | 15 [5–32] | 13.4 [5–30] | 0.51 |
| ESR, median [IQR] | 322 (32.5) | 24 [13–42] | 29 [15–52] | 0.07 |
| Cardiovascular diseases, n (%) | 18 (1.8) | 71 (35) | 138 (18) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 55 (5.5) | 35 (18.6) | 75 (10) | 0.001 |
| Lung diseases, n (%) | 12 (1.2) | 52 (25.2) | 163 (21.1) | 0.20 |
| Kidney diseases, n (%) | 13 (1.3) | 18 (8.9) | 41 (5.3) | 0.07 |
| Cancers | 7 (0.7) | 13 (6.3) | 45 (5.8) | 0.74 |
| Current DMARD, n (%) | 4 (0.4) | 140 (68.6) | 501 (64.9) | 0.32 |
| Current MTX, n (%) | 4 (0.4) | 108 (77.1) | 380 (75.8) | 0.77 |
| Current steroids, n (%) | 18 (1.8) | 159 (77.9) | 580 (75.5) | 0.47 |
| Prednisone dose, mg/kg/day, mean±SD | 17 (2.3) | 0.17±0.15 | 0.17±0.13 | 0.10 |
| Prior TNF inhibitors, n (%) | 1 (0.1) | 172 (83.5) | 693 (88.5) | 0.05 |
CCP, cyclic citrullinated pyeptide; CRP, C reactive protein; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MTX, methotrexate; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.