The risk of coronary artery disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using Chinese herbal products and conventional medicine in parallel: a population-based cohort study

Table 1 Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis classified according to the use of Chinese herbal products

Variable	Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis				p-value*
	Non-CHP group (n = 4889)		CHP group (n = 4889)
	n	%	n	%
Sex					0.99
Women	4226	86.44	4226	86.44
Men	663	13.56	663	13.56
Age group					0.99
18–39	1260	25.77	1260	25.77
40–59	2948	60.3	2948	60.3
≥ 60	681	13.93	681	13.93
Mean ± SD (years)^a	47.51 (11.55)		47.43 (11.56)		0.3695
Baseline Comorbidity
Diabetes mellitus	455	9.31	404	8.26	0.0685
Hypertension	1165	23.83	984	20.13	<.0001
Hyperlipidemia	606	12.4	622	12.72	0.6254
COPD	742	15.18	897	18.35	<.0001
ESRD	59	1.21	41	0.84	0.0704
Drug used
NSAID	4863	99.47	4876	99.73	0.037
Corticosteroid	226	4.62	246	5.03	0.3454
DMARD	4585	93.78	4780	97.77	<.0001
TNF-antagonists	713	14.58	1161	23.75	<.0001
Duration between diagnosed date and index, years (mean, median)^a	2.58 (1.67)		2.53 (1.63)		0.3905

*chi-square test; ^at-test
Abbreviations: CHP Chinese herbal products; SD standard deviation; COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ESRD end-stage renal disease
The mean (median) of the follow-up period was 5.38 (4.94) years for the CHP group and 4.88 (4.34) years for the non-CHP group

ISSN: 2662-7671