Incidence and Risk Factors for Infections Requiring Hospitalization, Including Pneumocystis Pneumonia, in Japanese Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Table 1
Characteristics of patients with or without infections.
Without infection (2414 pts)
With infection (274 pts)
value
Female
83.9%
73.7%
<0.0001
Age, years, mean (SD)
63.7 (12.3)
70.4 (9.9)
<0.0001
Over 70 years of age
34.4%
60.2%
<0.0001
Disease duration of RA, years, median (IQR)
12 (5–22)
16 (9–26)
<0.0001
Rheumatoid factor, mean, U/ml
142.2
240.1
<0.0001
eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2, median (IQR)
80 (70–95)
75 (60–95.5)
0.002
eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2
11.1%
22.6%
<0.0001
Underlying lung disease
14.9%
50.0%
<0.0001
DAS28-ESR, mean ± SD
3.1 ± 1.1
3.7 ± 1.2
<0.0001
Stage III or IV
48.5%
70.1%
<0.0001
Class III or IV
14.6%
47.8%
<0.0001
Treated with corticosteroids (median dose, mg/day)
51.8% (3.75)
85.4% (5)
<0.0001
Treated with MTX (median dose, mg/week)
59.6% (8)
40.4% (8)
<0.0001
Treated with biologics
13.0%
18.1%
0.009
Etanercept
40.9%
37.7%
Tocilizumab
25.5%
24.6%
Adalimumab
13.9%
13.1%
Infliximab
9.3%
6.6%
Abatacept
6.3%
9.8%
Golimumab
4.2%
8.2%
Treated with immunosuppressants
7.9%
13.2%
0.001
eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; DAS28-ESR, disease activity score in 28 joints with erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Stage, Steinbrocker’s radiographic stage score; Class, global functional status; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; MTX, methotrexate. Dose of corticosteroids is expressed in prednisolone equivalents. Patients who did not receive corticosteroids or MTX were excluded for calculating median doses.
