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Table 1 Comparison of demographic and clinical characteristics in elderly and younger patients treated with TNF inhibitors

From: Drug retention and safety of TNF inhibitors in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis

 

Total (n = 429)

Elderly patients (n = 107)

Younger patients (n = 322)

p-value

Age, year

49.5 ± 13.6

66.1 ± 5.4

44.0 ± 10.6

<0.01

Sex, male

60 (14.0)

24 (22.4)

36 (11.2)

0.01

Disease duration, years

8.6 ± 6.8

10.0 ± 7.9

8.2 ± 6.4

0.03

First use of TNF inhibitor

329 (76.7)

83 (77.6)

246 (76.4)

0.91

Number of previous non-biologic DMARDs used

4.1 ± 1.5

4.4 ± 1.7

3.9 ± 1.5

0.01

Concomitant MTX use

311 (72.5)

79 (73.8)

232 (72.1)

0.75

Concomitant MTX dosage, mg/week

14.0 ± 3.8

13.6 ± 3.5

14.2 ± 3.6

0.20

Concomitant glucocorticoid use

331 (77.2)

83 (77.6)

248 (77.0)

1.00

Concomitant glucocorticoid dosage, mg/day

6.0 ± 4.1

6.5 ± 5.8

5.8 ± 3.4

0.34

RF positivity

327 (76.2)

84 (78.5)

243 (75.5)

0.59

DAS28-ESR*

6.0 ± 0.9

6.0 ± 0.8

6.0 ± 0.9

0.46

Comorbid conditions

    

 Cardiovascular disease

12 (2.8)

8 (7.5)

4 (1.2)

<0.01

 Pulmonary disease a

23 (5.4)

17 (15.9)

6 (1.9)

<0.01

 Previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis

41 (9.6)

14 (13.1)

27 (8.4)

0.21

 Gastrointestinal disease

138 (32.2)

41 (38.3)

97 (30.1)

0.15

 Hepatobiliary diseaseb

46 (10.7)

13 (12.2)

33 (10.3)

0.71

 Diabetes mellitus

41 (9.6)

20 (18.7)

21 (6.5)

<0.01

 Malignancy

18 (4.2)

7 (6.5)

11 (3.4)

0.17

 Hypertension

95 (22.1)

50 (46.7)

45 (14.0)

<0.01

 Thyroid disease

26 (6.1)

7 (6.5)

19 (5.9)

0.99

 Renal diseasec

10 (2.3)

1 (0.9)

9 (2.8)

0.46

Biologic agents

    

 Etanercept

264 (61.5)

72 (67.3)

192 (59.6)

0.34

 Adalimumab

113 (26.3)

25 (23.4)

88 (27.3)

 

 Infliximab

52 (12.1)

10 (9.4)

42 (13.0)

 
  1. aPulmonary disease: interstitial lung disease, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bHepatobiliary disease: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis; cRenal disease: Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) GFR < 15
  2. TNF tumor necrosis factor, RA rheumatoid arthritis, MTX methotrexate, DMARD disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug, DAS28 disease activity score with 28 joint assessment, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  3. *DAS28ESR(3) is the disease activity score calculated from three variables including tender joint count, swollen joint count, and ESR
  4. Bold means statistical significant at the p < 0.05
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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