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Table 3 Exploratory between-group tests; normal CRF versus low CRF

From: Associations between cardiovascular risk factors, disease activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with inflammatory joint disease: a cross-sectional analysis

Variable

Normal CRF (n = 30)

Low CRF (n = 30)

p-value

Estimated group difference (99% CI)

Age, years, median (IQR)

61 (55–63)

57.5 (50–62)

0.08b

 

Gender, female, n (%)

17 (57)

17 (57)

1.0

na

Education > 12 years, n (%)

26 (87)

20 (67)

0.07

na

Diagnosis

    

 Rheumatoid arthritis, n (%)

12 (40)

15 (50)

  

 Spondyloarthritis, n (%)

12(40)

7 (23)

  

 Psoriatic arthritis, n (%)

6 (20)

8 (27)

0.38

na

Body fat mass, %, mean (SD)^

22.1 (5.2)

31.0 (6.6)

 < 0.001a

 − 8.7 (− 12.8; − 4.5)

VO2peak (mL/kg/min)

34.9 (5.4)

25.6 (4.7)

 < 0.001a

9.4 (5.9; 12.9)

IJD disease duration, years, median (IQR)

16.5 (10–30)

12.5 (7–23)

0.23b

 

Inflammatory markers

    

 CRP, mg L−1, median (IQR)

1 (1–2)

2 (1–3)

0.05b

 

 ESR, mm h−1, median (IQR)

9 (3–16)

9 (5–15)

0.74b

 

Disease activity categorized

    

 Remission, n (%)

11 (37)

11 (37)

  

 Low, n (%)

9 (30)

8 (27)

  

 Moderate, n (%)

9 (30)

5 (17)

  

 High, n (%)

1 (3)

6 (20)

0.20c

na

IJD medication

    

 Conventional DMARDS, n (%)

12 (40)

13 (43)

0.79

na

 Biologics and/or JAK inhibitors, n (%)

20 (67)

23 (77)

0.39

na

 Cortisone, n (%)

6 (21)

7 (23)

0.81

na

 NSAIDs, n (%)

19 (63)

17 (57)

0.60

na

Analgesics

    

 Non-opioids, n (%)

20 (67)

22 (73)

0.57

na

 Weak opioids, n (%)

3 (10)

4 (14)

0.71c

na

CVD risk factors

    

 Systolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD)

127 (13)

127 (13)

0.94

 − 0.3 (− 9.3; 8.8)

 Diastolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD)

83 (10)

84 (9)

0.46

 − 1.8 (− 8.4; 4.7)

 Resting heart rate, beats/min mean (SD)

64 (10)

72 (12)

 < 0.01a

 − 8.0 (− 15.4; − 0.7)

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

4.9 (1.3)

4.6 (1.2)

0.34

0.3 (− 0.5; 1.1)

 HDL-c, mmol L−1, mean (SD)

1.9 (0.4)

1.4 (0.5)

 < 0.001a

0.5 (0.1; 0.7)

 LDL-c, mmol L−1, mean (SD)

2.6 (1.2)

2.6 (1.2)

0.93

0.0 (− 0.8; 0.8)

 Triglycerides, mmol L−1, mean (SD)

1.1 (0.5)

1.6 (0.8)

 < 0.01a

 − 0.5 (− 1.0; − 0.1)

 Current use of cigarettes/snuff, n (%)

4 (13)

9 (30)

0.12

n.a

 Presence of increased CVD risk, n (%)

23 (77)

26 (87)

0.32

na

CVD medication

    

 Statins, n (%)

17 (57)

17 (57)

1.0

na

 Blood pressure medication, n (%)

4 (13)

8 (27)

0.20

na

NRS 0–10, 0 = best

    

 Pain, median (IQR)

2 (1–4)

2 (1–4)

0.82b

 

 Fatigue, median (IQR)

3 (1–5)

3.5 (1–6)

0.52b

 

Exercise beliefs and self-efficacy,

    

(20–100, 100 = best), mean (SD)^

84.0 (7.3)

77.2 (9.4)

 < 0.01a

6.9 (1.1; 12.7)

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

    

median (IQR)

11.3 (0–15)

0 (0–0)

0.02b

 
  1. Comparison between groups by student t-test for continuous variables or chi-square test for categorical variables unless otherwise indicated. ^single missing data imputed by simple mean imputation
  2. aSignificant between-group differences
  3. bWilcoxon rank sum test
  4. cFisher’s exact test
  5. BP blood pressure, CRP C-reactive protein, CVD cardiovascular disease, DMARDs disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, HDL-c High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, IJD Inflammatory Joint Disease, JAK Janus Kinase inhibitors, LDL-c low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, NRS Numerical Rating Scale, NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, SCORE2 Systemic COronary Risk Estimation 2, VO2peak peak oxygen uptake