Baseline characteristics of study population
| Total cohort (n=187 patients) | |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Age (median (IQR)) | 54 (43–65) |
| Male sex | 82 (43.9%) |
| Ethnicities | |
| Caucasian | 109 (58.3%) |
| Black African | 13 (7.0%) |
| Asian | 23 (12.3%) |
| Other | 42 (22.5%) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Chronic lung disease | 13 (7.0%) |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 8 (4.3%) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 10 (5.3%) |
| HIV | 1 (0.5%) |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | 3 (1.6%) |
| Rheumatological diagnoses* | |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 113 (60.4%) |
| Ankylosing spondylitis | 38 (20.3%) |
| Psoriatic arthropathy | 23 (12.3%) |
| Juvenile idiopathic arthritis | 2 (1.1%) |
| Other | 13 (7.0%) |
| Immunosuppressants† | |
| Methotrexate | 113 (60.4%) |
| Azathioprine | 3 (1.6%) |
| Sulphasalazine | 46 (24.6%) |
| Leflunomide | 13 (7.0%) |
| Maintenance steroids | 47 (25.1%) |
| Other | 1 (0.5%) |
| LTBI screening | |
| BCG vaccinated | 65 (34.8%) |
| T.Spot positive | 42 (22.5%) |
| T.Spot indeterminate | 1 (0.5%) |
| TST positive | 48 (25.7%) |
| T.Spot and TST both positive | 18 (9.6%) |
| High risk according to BTS risk tables | 40 (21.4%) |
| CXR suggestive of previous TB | 16 (8.6%) |
| Contact of active TB case | 8 (4.3%) |
| Previously treated for TB | 2 (1.1%) |
| Diagnosed with active TB | 2 (1.1%) |
Data presented as n (% of total cohort).
*Total exceeds 187 due to some patients having dual diagnoses.
†Total exceeds 187 due to some patients being on more than one immunosuppressant agent.
BCG, Bacille Calmette-Gueri; BTS, British Thoracic Society; CXR, chest radiograph; LTBI, latent tuberculosis infection; TB, tuberculosis; TST, tuberculin skin test.