Development and validation of a clinical rule for recognition of early inflammatory arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

National and international guidelines recommend prompt referral of patients presenting with inflammatory arthritis (IA), but general practitioners (GPs) feel uncertain in their proficiency to detect synovitis through joint examination, the method of choice to identify IA. Our objective was to develop and validate a rule composed of clinical characteristics to assist GPs and other physicians in identifying IA when in doubt.

Design

Split-sample derivation and validation study.

Setting

The Leiden Early Arthritis Recognition Clinic (EARC), a screening clinic for patients in whom GPs suspected but were unsure of the presence of IA.

Participants

1288 consecutive patients visiting the EARC.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

SUBMITTER: Ten Brinck RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6278800 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature