Development of a clinical tool to identify patients with early inflammatory arthritis at high risk of employment loss: analysis from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Work disability is an early consequence of inflammatory arthritis. Preventive interventions exist but access is limited, highlighting the need for risk stratification. We aimed to develop a tool using routinely collected data to identify patients at greatest risk of employment loss.

Methods

This cohort study used data from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit. Patients ≥16 years with early inflammatory arthritis (EIA), enrolled May 2018-April 2025, employed at diagnosis and with three-month follow-up were included. The outcome was self-reported employment loss at 3 months. Predictors were occupation (manual vs non-manual), age, sex, disease activity (DAS28 > 5.1), mental health (anxiety/depression) and musculoskeletal burden (MSKHQ ≤25v > 25). Employmen

SUBMITTER: Alveyn E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12798532 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature