Rheumatoid arthritis often misdiagnosed
Published: March 6, 2008 at 5:21 PM
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands, March 6 (UPI) -- A Dutch rheumatologist is concerned general practitioners often fail to refer a patient to confirm an arthritis diagnosis.
Dr. Annelies Boonen of the University Hospital of Maastricht in the Netherlands points out that patients need to have a correct diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and receive appropriate treatment.
"If we really feel the window of opportunity for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis exists, rheumatologists should increase their efforts to raise diagnostic capabilities of first-line physicians towards early diagnosis and referral of suspected patients with rheumatoid arthritis," Boonen says in a statement.
A Quebec study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, said that general practitioners diagnosed 79 percent of the 10,001 rheumatoid arthritis cases, but 27 percent of patients saw a rheumatologist. Half of these patients were seen in the first three months and only 17 percent received confirmation they were actually suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Boonen recommended this article to the Faculty of 1000 Medicine at www.f1000medicine.com, an online service that provides an authoritative guide to the medical literature.
Dr. Annelies Boonen of the University Hospital of Maastricht in the Netherlands points out that patients need to have a correct diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and receive appropriate treatment.
"If we really feel the window of opportunity for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis exists, rheumatologists should increase their efforts to raise diagnostic capabilities of first-line physicians towards early diagnosis and referral of suspected patients with rheumatoid arthritis," Boonen says in a statement.
A Quebec study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, said that general practitioners diagnosed 79 percent of the 10,001 rheumatoid arthritis cases, but 27 percent of patients saw a rheumatologist. Half of these patients were seen in the first three months and only 17 percent received confirmation they were actually suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Boonen recommended this article to the Faculty of 1000 Medicine at www.f1000medicine.com, an online service that provides an authoritative guide to the medical literature.
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This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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