Prescribing Trend of Antirheumatic Drugs in Taiwan and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Table 1

The characteristics of RA and general patients (matched in 1:5 scales).

Variables	General patients		RA patients		Total		p-value ^1
	N	%	N	%	N	%
Total	76,830	100	15,366	100	92,196	100
Gender							>0.99
Male	24,515	319.91	4,903	31.91	29,418	31.91
Female	52,315	68.09	10,463	68.09	62,778	68.09
Age (year)	49.26 ± 17.07		50.01 ± 16.02		49.39 ± 16.90		>0.99
≦34	12,985	16.9	2,597	16.9	15,582	16.9
35-44	13,400	17.44	2,680	17.44	16,080	17.44
45-54	20,860	27.15	4,172	27.15	25,032	27.15
55-64	14,698	19.13	2,939	19.13	17,637	19.13
≧65	14,887	19.38	2,978	19.38	17,865	19.38
Premium-based Monthly income (NTD)							>0.99
Insured dependent	20,015	26.05	4,003	26.05	24018	26.05
<17,280	12,865	16.74	2,573	16.74	15438	16.74
17,281~22,800	23,763	30.93	4,752	30.93	28515	30.93
≧22,801	20,187	26.27	4,038	26.27	24225	26.27
Urbanization							>0.99
Level 1	22,753	29.61	4,550	29.61	27,303	29.61
Level 2	24,450	31.82	4,890	31.82	29,340	31.82
Level 3	12,156	15.82	2,431	15.82	14,587	15.82
Level 4	10,655	13.87	2,131	13.87	12,786	13.87
Level 5	1,377	1.79	276	1.79	1,653	1.79
Level 6	2,605	3.39	521	3.39	3,126	3.39
Level 7	2,834	3.69	567	3.69	3,401	3.69

Used Chi-square test to exam the characteristics distribution.