Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29166885›Full record

Observational studyBMC musculoskeletal disorders2017

The impact of rheumatologist-performed ultrasound on diagnosis and management of inflammatory arthritis in routine clinical practice.

Stephen Kelly, Brian Davidson, Sarah Keidel, Stephan Gadola, Claire Gorman, Gary Meenagh, Piero Reynolds

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 24% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
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

7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Stephen KellyBarts Health NHS Trust, London, UK. Stephen.kelly@bartshealth.nhs.uk.
Brian DavidsonUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Sarah KeidelAbbvie Limited, Maidenhead, UK.
Stephan GadolaUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Claire GormanHomerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Gary MeenaghAntrim Area Hospital, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK.
Piero ReynoldsHomerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust · GBAbbVie (United Kingdom) · GBAntrim Area Hospital · GBBarts Health NHS Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatologists increasingly perform ultrasound (US) imaging to aid diagnosis and management decisions. There is a need to determine the role of US in facilitating early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis. This study describes the impact of US use by rheumatologists on diagnosis and management of inflammatory arthritis in routine UK clinical practice.

methodsWe conducted a prospective study in four secondary care rheumatology clinics, each with one consultant who routinely used US and one who did not. Consenting patients aged > 18, newly referred with suspected inflammatory arthritis were included. Data were collected both retrospectively from medical records and via a prospectively-completed physician questionnaire on US use. Analyses were stratified by US/non-US groups and by sub-population of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-diagnosed patients.

results258 patients were included; 134 US and 124 non-US. 42% (56/134) of US and 47% (58/124) of non-US were diagnosed with RA. Results described for US and non-US cohorts, respectively as follows. The proportion of patients diagnosed at their first clinic visit was 37% vs 19% overall (p = 0.004) and 41% vs 19% in RA-diagnosed patients (p = 0.01). The median time to diagnosis (months) was 0.85 vs 2.00 (overall, p = 0.0046) and 0.23 vs 1.38 (RA-diagnosed, p = 0.0016). Median time (months) to initiation on a DMARD (where initiated) was 0.62 vs 1.41 (overall, p = 0.0048) and 0.46 vs 1.81 (RA-diagnosed, p = 0.0007).

conclusionIn patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis, routine US use in newly referred patients seems to be associated with significantly earlier diagnosis and DMARD initiation.

Indexed as

Disease ManagementRheumatologistsAdultAgedAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesRheumatologyUltrasonographyAntirheumatic AgentsArthritisDMARDUltrasound

Identifiers

PMID29166885
PMCPMC5700521
OpenAlexW2770258021

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.