Table 3 Interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients: clinical data and current pharmacological treatment

Age [years, mean ± SD]

60.4 ± 10.1

55.4 ± 12.1

 < 0.001

Sex (female) [n, %]

37 (82.2%)

764 (89.5%)

0.779

RF positive [n, %]

35 (85.4%)

N = 41

659 (78.1%)

N = 844

0.268

 RF low titer < 3x [n,%]

6 (17.1%)

202 (30.7%)

0.089

 RF high titer ≥ 3x [n,%]

29 (82.9%)

457 (69.3%)

ACPA positivity

13 (68.4%)

N = 19

300 (78%)

N = 383

0.310

Disease duration [years, mean ± SD]

17.8 ± 9.7

13.7 ± 9.1

0.005

Smoker, ever [n, %]

16 (38.1%)

330 (38.6%)

0.943

Smoker, current [n, %]

4 (9.5%)

96 (11.2%)

 > 0.999

CDAI [mean ± SD]

12.7 ± 12.8

11.5 ± 10.7

0.469

DAS28-ESR [mean ± SD]

3.89 ± 1.20

3.42 ± 1.41

0.059

DAS28-CRP

[mean ± SD]

3.30 ± 1.35

3.17 ± 1.27

0.560

HAQ-DI [mean ± SD]

1.17 ± 0.68

0.88 ± 0.74

0.005

ESR [mm, mean ± SD]

37.9 ± 27.9

25.9 ± 23.3

0.003

CRP [mg/L, mean ± SD]

2.8 ± 4.9

1.6 ± 3.0

0.824

Erosive disease [n,%]

31 (79.5%)

N = 39

420 (49.9%)

N = 841

 < 0.001

scDMARD

 Methotrexate + Leflunomide

4 (9.5%)

142 (16.6%)

0.287

 Methotrexate

20 (47.6%)

572 (67%)

0.010

 Leflunomide

16 (38.1%)

301(35.2%)

0.706

 Antimalarials

4 (9.5%)

119 (13.9%)

0.644

 Sulfasalazine

3 (7.1%)

42 (4.9%)

0.463

 Azathioprine

4 (9.5%)

3 (0.4%)

 < 0.001

 Cyclosporine

1 (2.4%)

2 (0.2%)

0.134

 DMARDts (tofacitinib)

0

7 (0.8%)

 > 0.999

bDMARD

 Anti-TNF

11 (26.2%)

159 (18.6%)

0.222

 Etanercept

2 (4.8%)

44 (5.2%)

 > 0.999

 Certolizumab

0

13 (1.5%)

 > 0.999

 Golimumab

1 (2.4%)

28 (3.3%)

 > 0.999

 Infliximab

5 (11.9%)

32 (3.7%)

0.010

 Adalimumab

3 (7.1%)

42 (4.9%)

0.623

 Non-anti TNF

10 (23.8%)

131 (15.3%)

0.141

 Abatacept

3 (7.1%)

57 (6.7%)

0.756

 Tocilizumab

3 (7.1%)

40 (4.7%)

0.448

 Rituximab

4 (9.5%)

34 (4%)

0.097

Others

 NSAID

6 (14.3%)

63 (7.4%)

0.128

 Glucocorticoids

22 (52.4%)

367 (43%)

 < 0.001