Clinically suspect arthralgia and rheumatoid arthritis: patients’ perceptions of illness
Authors' conclusion
Although CSA-patients have not developed clinical arthritis, illness perceptions at CSA-presentation and RA-diagnosis are equally severe.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (Leiden and Rotterdam clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA)-cohorts) and recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic)
- Participants
- 399 vs 100
- Exposure
- CSA vs recently diagnosed RA
- CSAn = 399
- RAn = 100reference
- Outcome
- Illness perceptions assessed with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ; 8 questions, scale 0-10; higher score more negative IP)
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsmulticentre, longitudinal follow-up
- Multicentre
- Longitudinal follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Total BIPQ-score (range 0-80) · CSA-presentation and RA-diagnosis
CSA
40
± 11
RA
40
± 10
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Change in illness perceptions (IP) over time in CSA without development of clinical arthritis · 2 years follow-up
- Improved from 38±11 to 34±14
- P = 0.005
Change in IP over time in CSA progressing to arthritis/RA · 2 years follow-up
- Remained similar (mean 40 at both timepoints)
Perceived causes of complaints in CSA
- Mainly physical strain and heredity
Original publication
Clinically suspect arthralgia and rheumatoid arthritis: patients’ perceptions of illness. Joint Bone Spine. Published 8 June 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →