#5-84E. Accelerating Rheumatoid Diagnosis: Early Specialist Screening and 5-Year Remission (LancetRheumatol, 2026)

Can early specialist screening reduce primary care referral delays and change long-term rheumatoid arthritis outcomes? A 5-year longitudinal cohort study demonstrated that screening via an Early Arthritis Recognition Clinic significantly reduced referral delays and doubled sustained DMARD-free remission rates compared to standard referral routes (hazard ratio 2.1). However, as a single-center study employing historical controls, potential temporal confounding and lead-time bias require critical appraisal. Clinically, establishing rapid-access screening pathways between primary care and rheumatologists can substantially improve long-term disease remission and patient functional independence.

Citation: Simonetta R G van Griethuysen, Elise van Mulligen, Annette H M van der Helm-van Mil. Long-term effectiveness of the Early Arthritis Recognition Clinic’s screening for the presence of clinical arthritis in the Netherlands: a single-centre, longitudinal cohort study. The Lancet Rheumatology. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(26)00114-1

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(26)00114-1

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