Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis in Catalonia: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Delayed and the Role of Medical Equipment

Author(s): Haitham Hassan Khalil

Objective

Diagnosis and therapy of patients with early onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is influenced by accessibility to specialized care devices. We attempted to analyze the impact of their availability.

Methods

We analyzed time related to diagnosis delay measuring: (1) Time from first clinical symptoms to the first visit with the rheumatologist; (2) Time from referral to the first visit of rheumatology; (3) Time between first symptom until final diagnosis; (4) Time between first symptom until the initiation of the first disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). The presence of these 6 rheumatology devices was defined: (1) Early arthritis monographic clinics, (2) RA monographic clinics, (3) mechanisms for fast programming, (4) algorithms for referral from primary care (PC), (5) rheumatology consultation services in PC and (6) consulting services in PC.

Results

The mean time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis or the establishment of a DMARD in RA patients in Catalonia is very long (11 months). Patients seen in rheumatology devices such as RA monographic clinics, rheumatology consultation in PC and specially in early arthritis clinics are treated early with DMARDs.

Conclusion

The existence of monographic clinics or consulting in primary care centers is essential to improve early care of RA patients.