Rational/antiemotional behaviors in interpersonal relationships and the functional prognosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a Japanese multicenter, longitudinal study

Table 2 Association at baseline between antiemotionality and the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (N = 460)

Characteristics	Antiemotionality (RCF score^*)			P^†
	Low N = 145	Moderate N = 157	High N = 158
Female	82.8	86.6	95.0	.001
Age, yrs, mean (SD)	54.9 (10.0)	56.0 (10.3)	57.4 (8.5)	.033
Education, college or higher	22.8	20.4	19.0	.85
Duration, yrs, mean (SD)	11.6 (9.8)	9.9 (8.5)	12.7 (10.0)	.41
ACR class > = 3	13.8	11.5	15.2	.75
Joint stage^‡ > = 3	65.5	66.2	68.4	.45
Afflicted joints^‡ count, mean (SD)	9.9 (9.4)	9.0 (7.8)	11.1 (9.0)	.028
No. extra-articular complications^‡ > = 1	23.5	23.0	24.7	.49
CRP, mg/dl, mean (SD)	1.49 (1.87)	1.76 (2.50)	1.63 (1.90)	.12
Methotrexate use	38.6	43.4	44.3	.48
Corticosteroids use	44.8	42.0	46.8	.86
Other DMARDs use	54.5	54.1	51.9	.95

RCF: rationalizing conflicts/frustrations. ACR: American College of Rheumatology, CRP: C-reactive protein, DMARDs: disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. ^*The score of the rationalizing conflicts/frustrations scale of the Stress Inventory; the degrees of antiemotionality, “low”, “moderate”, and “high”, were based on the tertiles of the RCF score, 3.8 and 4.6. ^†Based on Spearman’s rank correlation. ^‡See text for explanation. Values are % unless otherwise stated.

ISSN: 1751-0759