Data Collection

We extracted information on covariates from the electronic health records of TCVGH, Taiwan, prior to the index date of June 30, 2021. The baseline demographics, lifestyle, RA disease activity determined by the DAS28-ESR, past and current medication use, history of concurrent comorbidities, change of disease status and therapeutic response (rheumatoid factor [RF] and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibody [ACPA], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], C-reactive protein [CRP] and DAS28) in patients with EORA were evaluated before and at quarterly intervals during treatment with csDMARDs, bDMARDs and tsDMARD.

The history and concurrent comorbidities were extracted from electronic health records of the TCVGH, Taiwan, and included ischemic cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, congestive heart failure, aortic aneurysm), diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, malignancies (colon, skin, lung, breast and uterus for women, prostate for men) and lymphoproliferative disease, gastrointestinal diseases (diverticulitis, ulcers), infections (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, hepatitis), lung disease (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and interstitial lung disease [ILD]), osteoporosis and psychiatric disorders (depression). In addition, a history of joint surgery as recorded. Hepatitis B carrier, hepatitis C carrier and latent TB statuses were identified in accordance with the recommendations of Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Taiwan Rheumatology Association (TRA) [21, 22]. Patients with EORA were classified as having the comorbidities if the diagnosis was made between RA diagnosis and the last follow-up or death of the patient.