Clinical Study

Baseline Comorbidities in a Population-Based Cohort of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Biological Therapy: Data from the Australian Rheumatology Association Database

Table 4

Self-reported infections and their severity* within the six months prior to commencing bDMARDs (n = 158).

MildModerateSevere

Skin or nail16 (10.1)14 (8.9)8 (5.1)
Eye, ear, nose, throat9 (5.7)23 (14.6)4 (2.5)
Heart1 (0.6)1 (0.6)0 (0)
Chest or lung2 (1.3)7 (4.4)1 (0.6)
Stomach, gut, gall bladder, liver2 (1.3)2 (1.3)3 (1.9)
Kidney, bladder, urine3 (1.9)12 (7.6)7 (4.4)
Bone, joint, muscle0 (0)5 (3.2)6 (3.8)
Artificial joint0 (0)0 (0)1 (0.6)
Brain or spinal cord1 (0.6)0 (0)0 (0)
Blood0 (0)2 (1.3)2 (1.3)
Viral5 (3.2)9 (5.7)2 (1.3)
Other0 (0)2 (1.3)4 (2.5)
Total infections39 (24.7)77 (48.7)38 (24.0)

Definitions of infection grades: Mild: activities did not change because of complaint, did not see a doctor or require prescription treatment for the complaint; Moderate: activities changed occasionally because of the complaint, saw a doctor and/or needed prescription medications to relieve the complaint; Severe: caused a major change in activities, saw a doctor, required prescription medication which only provided partial relief; if a drug treatment was responsible it may have been stopped.