Table 2 Comorbidity and health care consumption 2006–2010 in RA patients with and without bDMARDs

Women, n (%)

5727 (74.3)

880 (77.4)

4559 (73.7)

0.009

Age, years

64.8 ± 14.9

58.9 ± 12.3

66.2 ± 15.1

<0.001

Diabetes mellitus

860 (11.2)

93 (8.2)

715 (11.6)

0.001

Hypertension

3169 (41.1)

359 (31.6)

2662 (43.0)

<0.001

Ischemic heart disease

1077 (14.0)

92 (8.1)

947 (15.3)

<0.001

 Unstable angina

 Myocardial infarction

 Chronic ischemic heart disease

145 (1.9)

345 (4.5)

809 (10.5)

14 (1.2)

22 (1.9)

67 (5.9)

124 (2.0)

307 (5.0)

711 (11.5)

0.078

<0.001

<0.001

Heart failure

715 (9.3)

33 (2.9)

656 (10.6)

<0.001

Valvular disease

250 (3.2)

23 (2.0)

218 (3.5)

0.009

Atrial fibrillation or flutter

722 (9.4)

50 (4.4)

645 (10.4)

<0.001

Cerebrovascular disease

653 (8.5)

45 (4.0)

574 (9.3)

<0.001

 Ischemic stroke

 Hemorrhagic stroke

 Unspecified stroke

 TIA

266 (3.4)

51 (0.7)

144 (1.9)

180 (2.3)

15 (1.3)

5 (0.4)

4 (0.4)

14 (1.2)

235 (3.8)

43 (0.7)

132 (2.1)

155 (2.5)

<0.001

0.327

<0.001

0.009

Venous thromboembolic disease

 Pulmonary embolus

 Deep venous thrombosis

424 (5.5)

116 (1.5)

141 (1.8)

47 (4.1)

5 (0.4)

19 (1.7)

363 (5.9)

109 (1.8)

118 (1.9)

0.019

0.001

0.588

Chronic respiratory disease

1178 (15.3)

130 (11.4)

984 (15.9)

<0.001

 COPD and chronic bronchitis

 COPD and asthma

 Interstitial lung disease

627 (8.1)

1010 (13.1)

68 (0.9)

64 (5.6)

104 (9.1)

12 (1.1)

528 (8.5)

855 (13.8)

49 (0.8)

0.001

<0.001

0.370

Chronic renal insufficiency

162 (2.1)

8 (0.7)

143 (2.3)

<0.001

Depression

888 (11.5)

104 (9.1)

738 (11.9)

0.007

Malignancy

1059 (13.7)

87 (7.7)

921 (14.9)

<0.001

Infections

5339 (69.2)

835 (73.4)

4213 (68.1)

<0.001

 Pneumonia

 Sepsis

1168 (15.1)

221 (2.9)

145 (12.8)

20 (1.8)

954 (15.4)

187 (3.0)

0.020

0.018

Fractures (sites related to osteoporosis)

566 (7.3)

65 (5.7)

476 (7.7)

0.019

 Hip

 Knee

318 (4.1)

271 (3.5)

43 (3.8)

38 (3.3)

253 (4.1)

213 (3.4)

0.627

0.862

Patients hospitalized^a, n (%)

4001 (51.9)

571 (50.2)

3201 (51.8)

0.341

 Number of inpatient admissions^a

 Cumulative days at hospital^a

2 (1, 3)

8 (3, 24)

2 (1, 3)

6 (3, 14)

2 (1, 3)

9 (3, 26)

0.637

<0.001

Outpatient visits, secondary care

13 (7, 21)

21 (14, 34)

11 (7, 18)

<0.001

Outpatient visits, primary care

8 (4, 14)

7 (3, 11)

9 (5, 15)

<0.001