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Table 2 Clinical characteristics and their association with depression (n = 490)

From: Depression is associated with increased disease activity and higher disability in a large Italian cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Clinical characteristics

Total sample (n = 490)

Depression according to HADS-D (cut-off ≥ 11)

p-value (Chi-square or t test)

Not depressed (n = 420)

Depressed (n = 70)

Positive personal history for depression, n (%)

106 (21.6%)

76 (18.1%)

30 (42.8%)

 < 0.001

RF and/or ACPA positive, n (%)

292 (59.6%)

246 (58.6%)

46 (65.7%)

0.294

BMI (kg/m2), mean (sd)

25.7 (4.8)

25.7 (4.8)

26.0 (5.1)

0.606

Smoker, n (%)

64 (13.1%)

57 (13.6%)

7 (10.0%)

0.565

Positive family history for rheumatologic disease, n (%)

127 (25.9%)

104 (24.8%)

23 (32.8%)

0.184

Erosions, n (%)

212 (43.3%)

179 (42.6%)

33 (47.1%)

0.516

Disease duration (years), mean (sd)

12.5 (9.6)

12.5 (9.6)

12.4 (9.5)

0.931

TJC 28, mean (sd)

2.1 (3.5)

2.0 (3.5)

2.6 (3.9)

0.197

SJC 28, mean (sd)

1.1 (2.2)

1.1 (2.3)

1.2 (2.1)

0.647

TJC 68, mean (sd)

2.6 (4.0)

2.4 (3.8)

3.7 (4.9)

0.011

SJC 66, mean (sd)

1.4 (2.7)

1.4 (2.7)

1.7 (2.4)

0.324

PhGA, mean (sd)

4.4 (2.7)

4.2 (2.7)

5.5 (2.5)

 < 0.001

PGA, mean (sd)

5.3 (2.4)

5.1 (2.4)

6.6 (2.2)

 < 0.001

VAS pain, mean (sd)

5.0 (2.7)

4.8 (2.7)

6.3 (2.2)

 < 0.001

ESR, mean (sd)

19.9 (16.6)

19.6 (16.6)

21.9 (16.2)

0.276

CRP, mean (sd)

5.6 (8.8)

5.8 (9.3)

4.2 (4.3)

0.179

Vitamin D, mean (sd)

68.8 (28.3)

69.0 (28.1)

68.1 (30.0)

0.806

Haemoglobin, mean (sd)

13.4 (1.3)

13.4 (1.3)

13.2 (1.3)

0.105

  1. RF rheumatoid factor; ACPA anti-citrullinated protein antibodies; BMI Body Mass Index, TJC tender joint count; SJC swollen joint count; PhGA physician global assessment; PGA patient global assessment; VAS visual analogue scale; ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP C-reactive protein