Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28490909›Full record

ArticleOpen access rheumatology : research and reviews2017

Determining early referral criteria for patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis presenting to primary care physicians: a cross-sectional study.

Hani Almoallim, Nahid Janoudi, Suzan M Attar, Mohammed Garout, Shereen Algohary, Muhammad Irfanullah Siddiqui, Hanan Alosaimi, Ashraf Ibrahim, Amira Badokhon, Zaki Algasemi

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Open access rheumatology : research and reviews, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Primary Care: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Hani AlmoallimDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Nahid JanoudiDepartment of Medicine, Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah.
Suzan M AttarDepartment of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah.
Mohammed GaroutDepartment of Community Medicine and Public Health, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Shereen AlgoharyAlzaidi Chair of Research in Rheumatic Diseases, Medical College, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Muhammad Irfanullah SiddiquiDepartment of Community Medicine and Public Health, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Hanan AlosaimiAlzaidi Chair of Research in Rheumatic Diseases, Medical College, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Ashraf IbrahimAlzaidi Chair of Research in Rheumatic Diseases, Medical College, Umm Alqura University, Makkah.
Amira BadokhonAdministration of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Jeddah.
Zaki AlgasemiJoint Program of Family and Community Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Umm al-Qura University · SAKing Abdulaziz University · SAMinistry of Health · IQSoliman Fakeeh Hospital · SAUniversity of Jeddah · SA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveEarly diagnosis and initiation of treatment for inflammatory arthritis can greatly improve patient outcome. We aimed to provide standardized and validated criteria for use by primary care physicians (PCPs) in the identification of individuals requiring referral to a rheumatologist. PATIENTS AND

methodsWe analyzed the predictive value of a wide variety of demographic variables, patient-reported complaints, physical examination results, and biomarkers in order to identify the most useful factors for indicating a requirement for referral. Patients for this cross-sectional study were enrolled from various centers of the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, if they were ≥18 years of age and presented to a PCP with small joint pain that had been present for more than 6 weeks. A total of 203 patients were enrolled, as indicated by the sample size calculation. Each patient underwent a standardized physical examination, which was subsequently compared to ultrasound findings. Biomarker analysis and a patient interview were also carried out. Results were then correlated with the final diagnosis made by a rheumatologist.

resultsA total of 9 variables were identified as having high specificity and good predictive value: loss of appetite, swelling of metacarpophalangeal joint 2 or 5, swelling of proximal inter-phalangeal joint 2 or 3, wrist swelling, wrist tenderness, a positive test for rheumatoid factor, and a positive test for anti-citrullinated protein antibodies.

conclusionNine variables should be the basis of early referral criteria. It should aid PCPs in making appropriate early referrals of patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis, accelerating diagnosis and initiation of treatment.

Indexed as

diagnosisearly referral criteriainflammatory arthritisprimary carerheumatoid

Identifiers

PMID28490909
PMCPMC5414613
OpenAlexW2608258888

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.