Table 2

Clinical characteristics, treatment and BMD at each time point for those with available DXA data

Clinical characteristicsWomenMen
Inclusion2 years5 years10 yearsInclusion2 years5 years10 years
Number1571381228963585133
Age (years) mean (SD)58.5 (15.6)60.8 (15.7)64.1 (15.2)66.9 (14.4)63.2 (11.1)64.9 (11.3)66.5 (11.2)69.3 (11.5)
BMI (kg/m2) mean (SD)24.9 (3.9)25.6 (4.3) NA NA25.3 (3.6)25.8 (4.1) NANA
CRP (mg/L) median (IQR)<9.0 (<9.0; 22.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 10.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 9.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 9.0)13.0 (<9.0; 33.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 15.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 12.0)<9.0 (<9.0; 23.0)
ESR (mm) median (IQR)21.0 (10.0; 43.0)15.0 (8.0; 24.0)15.0 (9.0; 24.0)15.5 (11.0; 26.0)22.0 (10.0; 46.0)15.5 (9.0; 30.5)16.0 (9.0; 25.3)18.5 (10.3; 31.8)
Erosions n (%)21 (13.4)37 (28.5)41 (35.7)25 (37.3)11 (17.5)28 (49.1)27 (57.4)16 (69.6)
HAQ median (IQR)0.75 (0.38; 1.25)0.63 (0.13; 1.06)0.75 (0.38; 1.25)0.75 (0.38; 1.19)0.63 (0.13; 1.13)0.32 (0.00; 0.91)0.25 (0.00; 0.88)0.57 (0.13; 1.00)
DAS28 mean (SD)4.63 (1.37)3.75 (1.39)3.69 (1.41)3.24 (0.96)4.57 (1.48)3.39 (1.40)3.25 (1.31)3.01 (1.09)
VAS global (mm) mean (SD)43.3 (27.1)36.6 (27.3)36.2 (25.2)31.6 (23.4)43.3 (26.1)26.6 (21.9)29.9 (23.7)28.9 (25.7)
VAS pain (mm) mean (SD)40.3 (25.6)35.2 (28.3)32.4 (24.5)29.9 (23.3)42.9 (28.7)24.8 (20.3)25.1 (21.8)26.4 (21.6)
sDMARDs n (%)128 (81.5)110 (82.7)93 (76.9)57 (70.4)54 (85.7)48 (82.8)41 (80.4)26 (81.3)
bDMARDs n (%)0 (0)9 (6.5)21 (17.2)21 (23.6)0 (0)4 (6.9)8 (15.7)7 (21.2)
Corticosteroids n (%)57 (36.3)44 (33.1)38 (31.4)20 (22.5)31 (49.2)15 (25.9)12 (23.5)8 (25.0)
Corticosteroids dose (mg/d) mean (SD)8.0 (4.3)5.2 (2.2)5.0 (2.7)6.4 (8.1)11.1 (6.3)5.3 (3.3)5.8 (5.0)6.6 (3.0)
Calcium and D-vitamin n (%)50 (33.1)87 (66.9)74 (69.2)34 (51.5)16 (26.7)29 (55.8)21 (58.3)14 (66.7)
Bisphosphonates n (%)5 (3.3)33 (25.4)38 (35.5)17 (25.8)0 (0)9 (17.3)6 (16.7)7 (33.3)
HRT n (%)24 (15.8)20 (15.4)15 (14.1)0 (0)NANANANA
BMD femoral neck (g/cm2) mean (SD)0.85 (0.17)0.83 (0.17)0.82 (0.18)0.82 (0.15)0.88 (0.16)0.87 (0.14)0.86 (0.15)0.86 (0.13)
BMD lumbar spine (g/cm2) mean (SD)1.07 (0.20)1.08 (0.19)1.10 (0.20)1.14 (0.18)1.16 (0.20)1.16 (0.20)1.15 (0.20)1.18 (0.22)
Z-score femoral neck mean (SD)−0.04 (1.03)−0.09 (0.98)−0.07 (1.11)0.11 (0.92)−0.27 (1.10)−0.37 (0.99)−0.38 (1.09)−0.30 (0.91)
Z-score lumbar spine mean (SD)−0.02 (1.04)0.06 (0.99)0.26 (1.05)0.58 (0.99)−0.12 (1.06)−0.07 (1.07)−0.15 (1.02)−0.01 (1.13)
  • bDMARDs, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; BMD, bone mineral density (g/cm2); BMI, body mass index; CRP, C reactive protein; DAS28, Disease Activity Score-28 Joints; DXA, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; HRT, hormone replacement therapy; NA, not available/not applicable; sDMARDs, synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.