This might be a silly ask (or I'm overthinking it), but for the sake of formatting, I'm trying to create an empty variable name to then move rows around in a gtsummary table. The code is set up so that they are all individual, but I'd like for them to appear cohesive. In order to do this, I’ve been using a variable with no meaningful data and changing the name, then modifying the image through PowerPoint. I’d love to not have to do this every time I play with the figure.

(Also, if this doesn’t make sense, please just let me know!)

I’ve been trying to use modify_table_body() to make a row blank, but nothing has worked.

Here's what my code looks like right now:

Demo_data <- nomed_data %>%
    dplyr::select(
        Total_DIS,
        participantNum,
        Total_PA,
        Total_NA,
        PA_NA,
        PANA,
        CoMorbidity = Final_questions.question2,
        Gender = Consent.question10,
        Age = Consent.question11,
        group
    ) %>%
    mutate(
        # Relevel 
        Gender = factor(Gender, levels = c(1, 2, 3), 
                        labels = c("Female", "Male", "Other")),
        CoMorbidity = factor(CoMorbidity, levels = c(1, 2), 
                             labels = c("Yes", "No"))
    )

# install.packages("gtsummary")
library(gtsummary)

theme_gtsummary_compact()

Demo_data |> 
    tbl_summary(
        by = group,
        type = all_continuous() ~ "continuous",
        statistic = all_continuous() ~ "{mean} ({sd})",
        label = list(
            Total_DIS = "DIS",
            participantNum = "Mood", # empty variable, use as header
            Total_PA = "PA",
            Total_NA = "NA",
            PA_NA = "PA-NA",
            PANA = "PA+NA",
            CoMorbidity = "Differential Diagnoses",
            Gender = "Gender",
            Age = "Mean Age"
        ),
        digits = list(all_continuous() ~ c(2, 2)),
        missing = "ifany"
    ) |> 
    # add_p(pvalue_fun = label_style_pvalue(digits = 2)) |>
    add_overall() |>
    modify_header(label ~ "**Variable**") |>
    modify_caption("**Table 1. Participant Characteristics**") |>
    bold_labels() |>
    modify_column_indent(
        columns = label, 
        rows = label %in% c("PA", "NA", "PA+NA", "PA-NA"), 
        indent = 4L
    ) |>
    modify_table_styling(
        columns = label,
        rows = label %in% c("PA", "NA", "PA+NA", "PA-NA"),
        undo_text_format = c("bold")
    ) |>
    modify_table_styling(
        columns = label,
        rows = label == "Unknown",
        footnote = "Due to a technical glitch 92 people did not receive questions on age and gender"
    )