Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Diagnostic delay in patients from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis: geographic, sociodemographic and disease-related factors
Authors' conclusion
In this global sample of axSpA patients the mean diagnostic delay was 7.4 years, and showed significant differences across regions. Younger age at symptom onset, female gender, diagnosis made by a rheumatologist, greater number of HCPs seen before diagnosis and history of uveitis were the parameters associated with a longer diagnostic delay in axSpA patients.
Study context
- Population
- Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients from 27 countries in the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) online survey, 2017–225,327 analysed
- Participants
- 5,557 patients
- Exposure
- Europe vs North America vs Asia vs Latin America vs Africa
- Europen = 3,294
- North American = 752
- Asian = 590
- Latin American = 545
- African = 146
- Outcome
- Diagnostic delay (age at diagnosis minus age at first symptom onset, patient-reported)
Methodological detailsonline survey, multinational (27 countries), univariable and multivariable linear regression
- Online survey
- Multinational (27 countries)
- Univariable and multivariable linear regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean diagnostic delay since symptom onset (years)
7.4
Median diagnostic delay (years)
4.0
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with longer diagnostic delay (final multivariable linear regression model)
- Younger age at symptom onset (b)
- −0.100
- Female gender (b)
- 2.274
- Diagnosed by a rheumatologist (b)
- 1.163
- Greater number of heathcare professionals (HCPs) seen before diagnosis (b)
- 1.033
- History of uveitis (b)
- 1.286
Original publication
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