Baseline characteristics of patients with RA and asymptomatic volunteers in which hand and foot MRIs were performed and patients with RA in which CRP was analysed
| Patients with RA with an MRI n=188 | Asymptomatic volunteers n=192 | Patients with RA with CRP measurement n=1070 | |
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 56 (14) | 50 (16) | 56 (15) |
| Female, n (%) | 121 (64.4) | 135 (70.3) | 717 (67.0) |
| Symptom duration in weeks, median (IQR) | 15.4 (7.9–29.6) | NA | 18.4 (9.1–35.6) |
| CRP in mg/L, median (IQR) | 10.0 (3.8–23.5) | NA | 14.0 (6.0–33.0) |
| SJC, median (IQR) | 6 (3–10) | NA | 8 (4–13) |
| ACPA positivity, n (%) | 102 (54.3) | NA | 550 (52.6) |
| RF positivity, n (%) | 116 (61.7) | NA | 604 (56.9) |
| Current smokers, n (%) | 50 (28.4) | 17 (8.8) | 271 (25.7) |
| Patients consuming alcohol, n (%) | 121 (64.4) | 135 (69.9) | 621 (58.0) |
| Units/week, median (IQR) | 6.0 (3.0–10.5) | 7.0 (4.0–14.0) | 6.0 (2.0–10.5) |
Of patients with RA with an MRI, smoking status and SJC were missing in 12 and 18 patients, respectively. In patients with RA with a CRP measurement, smoking status, SJC, RF and ACPA status were missing in, respectively, 17, 38, 9 and 24 patients with RA.
ACPA, anticitrullinated protein antibody; CRP, C reactive protein; NA, not assessed; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor; SJC, swollen joint count.