Table 1 Descriptive statistics from baseline sessions in the ExeHeart study

Age, years, median (IQR)

59 (52–63)

Gender, female, n (%)

34 (57)

Education > 12yrs, n (%)

46 (77)

Diagnosis

 Rheumatoid arthritis, n (%)

27 (45)

 Spondyloarthritis, n (%)

19 (32)

 Psoriatic arthritis, n (%)

14 (23)

Anthropometrics

 BMI, median (IQR)

25 (22.1–29.5)

 Body fat mass, %, mean (SD)*

26.4 (7.3)

CardioPulmonary Exercise Test

 VO_2peak (mL/kg/min), mean (SD)

30.2 (6.9)

 Respiratory exchange ratio, VCO₂/VO₂, mean (SD)

1.16 (0.07)

 Borg RPE 0–10 (10 = maximal), median (IQR)

10 (9–10)

 Percent of predicted peak heart rate (220-age), mean (SD)

101 (7)

 Post-exercise blood lactate, mmol/L, mean (SD)§

9.4 (3.2)

IJD disease duration, years, median (IQR)

15.5 (7–30)

Inflammatory markers

 CRP, mg L⁻¹, median (IQR)

1 (1–2)

 ESR, mm h⁻¹, median (IQR)

9 (5–15)

Disease activity categorized

 Remission, n (%)

22 (37)

 Low, n (%)

17 (28)

 Moderate, n (%)

14 (23)

 High, n (%)

7 (12)

IJD medication

 Conventional DMARDS, n (%)

25 (42)

 Biologics and/or JAK inhibitors, n (%)

43 (72)

 Cortisone, n (%)

13 (22)

 NSAIDs, n (%)

36 (60)

Analgesics

 Non-opioids, n (%)

42 (70)

 Weak opioids, n (%)

7 (12)

 Strong opioids, n (%)

0 (0)

CVD risk factors

 Systolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD)

127 (13)

 Diastolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD)

83 (10)

 Resting heart rate, beats/min, mean (SD)

68 (11)

 Total cholesterol, mmol L⁻¹, mean (SD)

4.8 (1.2)

 HDL-c, mmol L⁻¹, mean (SD)

1.7 (0.3)

 LDL-c, mmol L⁻¹, mean (SD)

2.6 (1.2)

 Triglycerides, mmol L⁻¹, mean (SD)

1.4 (0.7)

 Current use of cigarettes/snuff, n (%)

13 (22)

 SCORE2, %, median (IQR)^

4 (3–6)

CVD medication

 Statins, n (%)

34 (57)

 Betablockers, n (%)

2 (3)

 Blood pressure medication, n (%)

12 (20)

NRS (0–10), 0 = best

 Pain, median (IQR)

2 (1–4)

 Fatigue, median (IQR)

3 (1–5)

Exercise beliefs and self-efficacy, (20–100, 100 = best), mean (SD)*

80.6 (9.0)

Physical activity index (0–45, 45 = best), median (IQR)

0 (0–15)