Of the 502 643 participants recruited to...

Of the 502 643 participants recruited to UK Biobank, 488 991 were included in the present study (Supplementary Fig. S1, available at Rheumatology online). Differences in subject characteristics between participants included and excluded from the analyses are shown in Supplementary Table S1, available at Rheumatology online. Of the participants included, 480 998 (98.4%) had none of the four inflammatory RMDs, 5315 (1.1%) participants had RA, 865 (0.2%) had PsA, 1254 (0.3%) had AS and 559 (0.1%) had SLE (Table 1). The median (interquartile range) age of participants with RA, PsA, AS, SLE and no inflammatory RMD was 61.0 (55.0–65.0), 57.0 (51.0–62.0), 59.0 (52.0–63.0), 56.0 (49.0–62.0) and 58.0 (50.0–63.0) years, respectively. The proportion of participants with an inflammatory RMD using a DMARD varied from 48% in RA and PsA to 8% in AS. The proportion using oral CSs ranged from 4% in AS to 20% in SLE. The proportion of participants using a s/bDMARD or oral CSs in the control population was 0.4% and 1.1%, respectively (Table 1).

	None of the study conditions (N = 480 998)	RA (N = 5315)	PsA (N = 865)	AS (N = 1254)	SLE (N = 559)
Age, years	58.0 (50.0–63.0)	480 998	61.0 (55.0–65.0)^a	5315	57.0 (51.0–62.0)^a	865	59.0 (52.0–63.0)^a	1255	56.0 (49.0–62.0)^a	560
Age at onset of rheumatic/musculoskeletal disease, years	—	—	48.3 (37.9–56.0)	5255	44.7 (35.0–52.2)	855	36.1 (25.5–46.9)	1242	42.0 (23.8–51.3)	555
Female	54.0	259 915/480 998	69.9^a	3713/5315	51.4	445/865	36.6^a	459/1254	89.3^a	499/559
Smoking
Never	55.0	263 115/478 438	47.0^a	2479/5275	52.0	447/860	44.7^a	557/1248	52.8	294/557
Past	34.5	165 240/478 438	40.5^a	2137/5275	37.8	325/860	41.0^a	512/1248	34.8	194/557
Current	10.5	50 083/478 438	12.5^a	659/5275	10.2	88/860	14.3^a	179/1248	12.4	69/557
Alcohol
Daily or almost daily	20.5	98 407/479 723	14.4^a	766/5305	16.1^a	139/863	23.6^a	296/1253	14.7^a	82/558
3 or 4 times a week	23.3	111 691/479 723	16.8^a	889/5305	22.8^a	197/863	21.2^a	265/1253	13.4^a	75/558
Once or twice a week	25.9	124 130/479 723	24.7^a	1308/5305	24.7^a	213/863	24.8^a	311/1253	20.4^a	114/558
1–3 times a month	11.1	53 330/479 723	12.5^a	661/5305	11.5^a	99/863	9.8^a	123/1253	15.1^a	84/558
Special occasions only	11.4	54 443/479 723	16.6^a	881/5305	14.1^a	122/863	12.2^a	153/1253	19.7^a	111/558
Never	7.9	37 722/479 723	15.1^a	800/5305	10.8^a	93/863	8.4^a	105/1253	16.7^a	93/558
BMI	26.7 (24.1–29.8)	478 164	27.4 (24.4–31.0)^a	5265	28.0 (25.1–31.6)^a	861	26.9 (24.4–30.0)	1229	26.2 (23.5–30.2)	556
Quintile of Townsend index of deprivation
1 (least deprived)	20.3	97 362/480 403	18.0^a	957/5306	19.2	166/863	19.5	244/1253	16.7^a	93/558
2	20.1	96 466/480 403	17.6^a	933/5306	21.6	186/863	20.1	252/1253	17.7^a	99/558
3	20.1	96 496/480 403	19.5^a	1033/5306	18.4	159/863	18.6	233/1253	18.5^a	103/558
4	20.0	95 900/480 403	20.3^a	1078/5306	19.2	166/863	20.1	252/1253	18.8^a	105/558
5 (most deprived)	19.6	94 179/480 403	24.6^a	1305/5306	21.6	186/863	21.7	272/1253	28.3^a	158/558
Medication
Using synthetic DMARD	0.4	2050/48 0998	48.4	2574/5315	48.3	418/865	7.7	97/1254	40.4	226/559
Using biologic DMARD	0.01	66/480 998	6.2	327/5315	6.1	53/865	3.2	40/1254	0.0	0/559
Using CSs	1.1	5064/480 998	9.8	522/5315	5.1	44/865	3.8	48/1254	20.4	114/559
IPAQ group
Low	15.4	67 394/433 680	23.0^a	1010/4396	22.0^a	164/745	21.4^a	239/1115	18.6^a	87/467
Moderate	42.2	182 781/433 680	41.2^a	1811/4396	43.0^a	320/745	40.1^a	447/1115	44.5^a	208/467
High	42.3	183 505/433 680	35.8^a	1575/4396	35.0^a	261/745	38.5^a	429/1115	36.8^a	172/467
Functional co-morbidity index
0	49.1	235 831/480 088	37.0^a	1962/5305	43.1^a	372/864	42.9^a	537/1253	38.5^a	215/559
1–2	45.2	217 179/480 088	50.7^a	2688/5305	47.5^a	410/864	47.3^a	593/1253	48.1^a	269/559
3–4	5.2	24 786/480 088	10.8^a	575/5305	8.8^a	76/864	7.9^a	99/1253	12.2^a	68/559
≥5	0.5	2292/480 088	1.5^a	80/5305	0.7^a	6/864	1.9^a	24/1253	1.3^a	7/559

	None of the study conditions (N = 480 998)	RA (N = 5315)	PsA (N = 865)	AS (N = 1254)	SLE (N = 559)
Age, years	58.0 (50.0–63.0)	480 998	61.0 (55.0–65.0)^a	5315	57.0 (51.0–62.0)^a	865	59.0 (52.0–63.0)^a	1255	56.0 (49.0–62.0)^a	560
Age at onset of rheumatic/musculoskeletal disease, years	—	—	48.3 (37.9–56.0)	5255	44.7 (35.0–52.2)	855	36.1 (25.5–46.9)	1242	42.0 (23.8–51.3)	555
Female	54.0	259 915/480 998	69.9^a	3713/5315	51.4	445/865	36.6^a	459/1254	89.3^a	499/559
Smoking
Never	55.0	263 115/478 438	47.0^a	2479/5275	52.0	447/860	44.7^a	557/1248	52.8	294/557
Past	34.5	165 240/478 438	40.5^a	2137/5275	37.8	325/860	41.0^a	512/1248	34.8	194/557
Current	10.5	50 083/478 438	12.5^a	659/5275	10.2	88/860	14.3^a	179/1248	12.4	69/557
Alcohol
Daily or almost daily	20.5	98 407/479 723	14.4^a	766/5305	16.1^a	139/863	23.6^a	296/1253	14.7^a	82/558
3 or 4 times a week	23.3	111 691/479 723	16.8^a	889/5305	22.8^a	197/863	21.2^a	265/1253	13.4^a	75/558
Once or twice a week	25.9	124 130/479 723	24.7^a	1308/5305	24.7^a	213/863	24.8^a	311/1253	20.4^a	114/558
1–3 times a month	11.1	53 330/479 723	12.5^a	661/5305	11.5^a	99/863	9.8^a	123/1253	15.1^a	84/558
Special occasions only	11.4	54 443/479 723	16.6^a	881/5305	14.1^a	122/863	12.2^a	153/1253	19.7^a	111/558
Never	7.9	37 722/479 723	15.1^a	800/5305	10.8^a	93/863	8.4^a	105/1253	16.7^a	93/558
BMI	26.7 (24.1–29.8)	478 164	27.4 (24.4–31.0)^a	5265	28.0 (25.1–31.6)^a	861	26.9 (24.4–30.0)	1229	26.2 (23.5–30.2)	556
Quintile of Townsend index of deprivation
1 (least deprived)	20.3	97 362/480 403	18.0^a	957/5306	19.2	166/863	19.5	244/1253	16.7^a	93/558
2	20.1	96 466/480 403	17.6^a	933/5306	21.6	186/863	20.1	252/1253	17.7^a	99/558
3	20.1	96 496/480 403	19.5^a	1033/5306	18.4	159/863	18.6	233/1253	18.5^a	103/558
4	20.0	95 900/480 403	20.3^a	1078/5306	19.2	166/863	20.1	252/1253	18.8^a	105/558
5 (most deprived)	19.6	94 179/480 403	24.6^a	1305/5306	21.6	186/863	21.7	272/1253	28.3^a	158/558
Medication
Using synthetic DMARD	0.4	2050/48 0998	48.4	2574/5315	48.3	418/865	7.7	97/1254	40.4	226/559
Using biologic DMARD	0.01	66/480 998	6.2	327/5315	6.1	53/865	3.2	40/1254	0.0	0/559
Using CSs	1.1	5064/480 998	9.8	522/5315	5.1	44/865	3.8	48/1254	20.4	114/559
IPAQ group
Low	15.4	67 394/433 680	23.0^a	1010/4396	22.0^a	164/745	21.4^a	239/1115	18.6^a	87/467
Moderate	42.2	182 781/433 680	41.2^a	1811/4396	43.0^a	320/745	40.1^a	447/1115	44.5^a	208/467
High	42.3	183 505/433 680	35.8^a	1575/4396	35.0^a	261/745	38.5^a	429/1115	36.8^a	172/467
Functional co-morbidity index
0	49.1	235 831/480 088	37.0^a	1962/5305	43.1^a	372/864	42.9^a	537/1253	38.5^a	215/559
1–2	45.2	217 179/480 088	50.7^a	2688/5305	47.5^a	410/864	47.3^a	593/1253	48.1^a	269/559
3–4	5.2	24 786/480 088	10.8^a	575/5305	8.8^a	76/864	7.9^a	99/1253	12.2^a	68/559
≥5	0.5	2292/480 088	1.5^a	80/5305	0.7^a	6/864	1.9^a	24/1253	1.3^a	7/559

Table 1

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Subject characteristics

	None of the study conditions (N = 480 998)		RA (N = 5315)		PsA (N = 865)		AS (N = 1254)		SLE (N = 559)
	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n
Age, years	58.0 (50.0–63.0)	480 998	61.0 (55.0–65.0)^a	5315	57.0 (51.0–62.0)^a	865	59.0 (52.0–63.0)^a	1255	56.0 (49.0–62.0)^a	560
Age at onset of rheumatic/musculoskeletal disease, years	—	—	48.3 (37.9–56.0)	5255	44.7 (35.0–52.2)	855	36.1 (25.5–46.9)	1242	42.0 (23.8–51.3)	555
Female	54.0	259 915/480 998	69.9^a	3713/5315	51.4	445/865	36.6^a	459/1254	89.3^a	499/559
Smoking
Never	55.0	263 115/478 438	47.0^a	2479/5275	52.0	447/860	44.7^a	557/1248	52.8	294/557
Past	34.5	165 240/478 438	40.5^a	2137/5275	37.8	325/860	41.0^a	512/1248	34.8	194/557
Current	10.5	50 083/478 438	12.5^a	659/5275	10.2	88/860	14.3^a	179/1248	12.4	69/557
Alcohol
Daily or almost daily	20.5	98 407/479 723	14.4^a	766/5305	16.1^a	139/863	23.6^a	296/1253	14.7^a	82/558
3 or 4 times a week	23.3	111 691/479 723	16.8^a	889/5305	22.8^a	197/863	21.2^a	265/1253	13.4^a	75/558
Once or twice a week	25.9	124 130/479 723	24.7^a	1308/5305	24.7^a	213/863	24.8^a	311/1253	20.4^a	114/558
1–3 times a month	11.1	53 330/479 723	12.5^a	661/5305	11.5^a	99/863	9.8^a	123/1253	15.1^a	84/558
Special occasions only	11.4	54 443/479 723	16.6^a	881/5305	14.1^a	122/863	12.2^a	153/1253	19.7^a	111/558
Never	7.9	37 722/479 723	15.1^a	800/5305	10.8^a	93/863	8.4^a	105/1253	16.7^a	93/558
BMI	26.7 (24.1–29.8)	478 164	27.4 (24.4–31.0)^a	5265	28.0 (25.1–31.6)^a	861	26.9 (24.4–30.0)	1229	26.2 (23.5–30.2)	556
Quintile of Townsend index of deprivation
1 (least deprived)	20.3	97 362/480 403	18.0^a	957/5306	19.2	166/863	19.5	244/1253	16.7^a	93/558
2	20.1	96 466/480 403	17.6^a	933/5306	21.6	186/863	20.1	252/1253	17.7^a	99/558
3	20.1	96 496/480 403	19.5^a	1033/5306	18.4	159/863	18.6	233/1253	18.5^a	103/558
4	20.0	95 900/480 403	20.3^a	1078/5306	19.2	166/863	20.1	252/1253	18.8^a	105/558
5 (most deprived)	19.6	94 179/480 403	24.6^a	1305/5306	21.6	186/863	21.7	272/1253	28.3^a	158/558
Medication
Using synthetic DMARD	0.4	2050/48 0998	48.4	2574/5315	48.3	418/865	7.7	97/1254	40.4	226/559
Using biologic DMARD	0.01	66/480 998	6.2	327/5315	6.1	53/865	3.2	40/1254	0.0	0/559
Using CSs	1.1	5064/480 998	9.8	522/5315	5.1	44/865	3.8	48/1254	20.4	114/559
IPAQ group
Low	15.4	67 394/433 680	23.0^a	1010/4396	22.0^a	164/745	21.4^a	239/1115	18.6^a	87/467
Moderate	42.2	182 781/433 680	41.2^a	1811/4396	43.0^a	320/745	40.1^a	447/1115	44.5^a	208/467
High	42.3	183 505/433 680	35.8^a	1575/4396	35.0^a	261/745	38.5^a	429/1115	36.8^a	172/467
Functional co-morbidity index
0	49.1	235 831/480 088	37.0^a	1962/5305	43.1^a	372/864	42.9^a	537/1253	38.5^a	215/559
1–2	45.2	217 179/480 088	50.7^a	2688/5305	47.5^a	410/864	47.3^a	593/1253	48.1^a	269/559
3–4	5.2	24 786/480 088	10.8^a	575/5305	8.8^a	76/864	7.9^a	99/1253	12.2^a	68/559
≥5	0.5	2292/480 088	1.5^a	80/5305	0.7^a	6/864	1.9^a	24/1253	1.3^a	7/559

	None of the study conditions (N = 480 998)		RA (N = 5315)		PsA (N = 865)		AS (N = 1254)		SLE (N = 559)
	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n	Median (IQR) or %	n
Age, years	58.0 (50.0–63.0)	480 998	61.0 (55.0–65.0)^a	5315	57.0 (51.0–62.0)^a	865	59.0 (52.0–63.0)^a	1255	56.0 (49.0–62.0)^a	560
Age at onset of rheumatic/musculoskeletal disease, years	—	—	48.3 (37.9–56.0)	5255	44.7 (35.0–52.2)	855	36.1 (25.5–46.9)	1242	42.0 (23.8–51.3)	555
Female	54.0	259 915/480 998	69.9^a	3713/5315	51.4	445/865	36.6^a	459/1254	89.3^a	499/559
Smoking
Never	55.0	263 115/478 438	47.0^a	2479/5275	52.0	447/860	44.7^a	557/1248	52.8	294/557
Past	34.5	165 240/478 438	40.5^a	2137/5275	37.8	325/860	41.0^a	512/1248	34.8	194/557
Current	10.5	50 083/478 438	12.5^a	659/5275	10.2	88/860	14.3^a	179/1248	12.4	69/557
Alcohol
Daily or almost daily	20.5	98 407/479 723	14.4^a	766/5305	16.1^a	139/863	23.6^a	296/1253	14.7^a	82/558
3 or 4 times a week	23.3	111 691/479 723	16.8^a	889/5305	22.8^a	197/863	21.2^a	265/1253	13.4^a	75/558
Once or twice a week	25.9	124 130/479 723	24.7^a	1308/5305	24.7^a	213/863	24.8^a	311/1253	20.4^a	114/558
1–3 times a month	11.1	53 330/479 723	12.5^a	661/5305	11.5^a	99/863	9.8^a	123/1253	15.1^a	84/558
Special occasions only	11.4	54 443/479 723	16.6^a	881/5305	14.1^a	122/863	12.2^a	153/1253	19.7^a	111/558
Never	7.9	37 722/479 723	15.1^a	800/5305	10.8^a	93/863	8.4^a	105/1253	16.7^a	93/558
BMI	26.7 (24.1–29.8)	478 164	27.4 (24.4–31.0)^a	5265	28.0 (25.1–31.6)^a	861	26.9 (24.4–30.0)	1229	26.2 (23.5–30.2)	556
Quintile of Townsend index of deprivation
1 (least deprived)	20.3	97 362/480 403	18.0^a	957/5306	19.2	166/863	19.5	244/1253	16.7^a	93/558
2	20.1	96 466/480 403	17.6^a	933/5306	21.6	186/863	20.1	252/1253	17.7^a	99/558
3	20.1	96 496/480 403	19.5^a	1033/5306	18.4	159/863	18.6	233/1253	18.5^a	103/558
4	20.0	95 900/480 403	20.3^a	1078/5306	19.2	166/863	20.1	252/1253	18.8^a	105/558
5 (most deprived)	19.6	94 179/480 403	24.6^a	1305/5306	21.6	186/863	21.7	272/1253	28.3^a	158/558
Medication
Using synthetic DMARD	0.4	2050/48 0998	48.4	2574/5315	48.3	418/865	7.7	97/1254	40.4	226/559
Using biologic DMARD	0.01	66/480 998	6.2	327/5315	6.1	53/865	3.2	40/1254	0.0	0/559
Using CSs	1.1	5064/480 998	9.8	522/5315	5.1	44/865	3.8	48/1254	20.4	114/559
IPAQ group
Low	15.4	67 394/433 680	23.0^a	1010/4396	22.0^a	164/745	21.4^a	239/1115	18.6^a	87/467
Moderate	42.2	182 781/433 680	41.2^a	1811/4396	43.0^a	320/745	40.1^a	447/1115	44.5^a	208/467
High	42.3	183 505/433 680	35.8^a	1575/4396	35.0^a	261/745	38.5^a	429/1115	36.8^a	172/467
Functional co-morbidity index
0	49.1	235 831/480 088	37.0^a	1962/5305	43.1^a	372/864	42.9^a	537/1253	38.5^a	215/559
1–2	45.2	217 179/480 088	50.7^a	2688/5305	47.5^a	410/864	47.3^a	593/1253	48.1^a	269/559
3–4	5.2	24 786/480 088	10.8^a	575/5305	8.8^a	76/864	7.9^a	99/1253	12.2^a	68/559
≥5	0.5	2292/480 088	1.5^a	80/5305	0.7^a	6/864	1.9^a	24/1253	1.3^a	7/559

Statistically significant difference from the none-of-the-study-conditions group (P < 0.05), using Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous variables and χ² test for categorical variables. IPAQ: international physical activity questionnaire; IQR: interquartile range.

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