Table 1 Comparisons of clinical characteristics between patients with RA onset before and after menopause

Age, years

57.0 ± 6.7

62.9 ± 7.8

< 0.001

58.0 ± 6.1

58.8 ± 5.9

0.184

Onset age, years

42.2 ± 8.1

57.8 ± 7.5

< 0.001

42.7 ± 7.9

55.6 ± 6.3

< 0.001

Menopause age, years

49.2 ± 4.2

48.9 ± 4.0

0.477

49.7 ± 3.8

48.1 ± 4.2

< 0.001

BMI, kg/m²

22.1 ± 3.4

22.4 ± 3.3

0.267

22.2 ± 3.3

22.5 ± 3.3

0.502

Disease duration, months

132 (95,240)

42 (12,928)

< 0.001

144(96,240)

24 (10,51)

< 0.001

Active smoking, n (%)

7 (3.3)

22 (6.4)

0.108

5 (2.6)

9 (4.6)

0.276

Positive RF, n (%)

160 (75.5)

223 (65.0)

0.010

146 (75.3)

119 (61.3)

0.003

Positive ACPA, n (%)

146 (68.5)

233 (67.9)

0.880

136 (69.7)

135 (69.6)

0.973

CDAI

12 (5,25)

14 (6,25)

0.485

12 (5,25)

14 (6,25)

0.726

PROs

 PtGA

4 (2,6)

4 (2,6)

0.990

4 (2,6)

4 (2,6)

0.592

 Pain VAS

2 (2,5)

3 (2,5)

0.361

3 (2,5)

3 (2,5)

0.546

 HAQ-DI

0.3 (0,1.0)

0.4 (0,1.0)

0.308

0.4 (0,1.0)

0.3 (0,1)

0.916

PROs-associated indicators

 TJC28

3 (1,9)

4 (1,9)

0.091

3 (1,9)

4 (1,9)

0.122

 PrGA

4 (2,6)

4 (2,6)

0.728

4 (2,6)

4 (2,6)

0.899

SJC28

2 (0,5)

2 (0,5)

0.558

2 (0,5)

2 (0,5)

0.524

Inflammatory makers

 ESR, (mm/h)

40 (22,63)

45 (24,77)

0.068

39 (22,63)

42(22,76)

0.257

 CRP, (mg/L)

4.7 (3.2,18.0)

6.5 (3.3,27.6)

0.019

4.7 (3.1,17.9)

6.1 (3.3,24.0)

0.144

Radiographic assessment

 mTSS

50 (8,96)

8 (4,19)

< 0.001

52 (9,98)

6 (2,13)

< 0.001

 JSN

19 (4,39)

2 (0,6)

< 0.001

19 (3,41)

1 (0,5)

< 0.001

 JE

23 (6,49)

6 (2,11)

< 0.001

24 (6,52)

5 (1,9)

< 0.001