Baseline characteristics of the patients visiting the Leiden and Groningen EARC, separated for patients with and without arthritis. Characteristics of patients that were included in the Leiden and Groningen Early Arthritis Clinic and that had arrived via regular referrals are also presented
| EARC Leiden | Regular referrals Leiden | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All patients | No Arthritis | Arthritis | ||
| n=400 | n=232 | n=168 | n=116 | |
| Female, n (%) | 293 (73.3) | 181 (78.0)* | 112 (66.7)* | 66 (56.9) |
| Age, years, mean±SD | 51.3±16.1 | 50.3±15.2 | 52.6±17.3 | 52.4±16.0 |
| Gradual onset complaints, n (%) | 257 (64.3) | 153 (65.9) | 104 (61.9) | 61 (52.6) |
| Morning stiffness, minutes | 15 (10–60) | 15 (10–60) | 25 (10–60) | 40 (10–60) |
| HAQ (0–3) | 0.75 (0.25–1.25) | 0.63 (0.25–1.13)* | 0.75 (0.38–1.38)* | 0.75 (0.38–1.25) |
| TJC‡ | 8 (4–18) | 9 (5–19.8) | 7.5 (3–15) | 5 (2–6) |
| SJC, mean±SD | – | – | 3±5 | 4±5 |
| ESR, mm/h† | – | – | 11 (6–13) | 15.5 (6–36) |
| ACPA positive, n (%)† | – | – | 14 (10.0%) | 26 (23.0%) |
| RF, positive, n (%)† | – | – | 23 (16.3%) | 32 (28.8) |
| EARC Groningen | Regular referrals Groningen | |||
| All patients | No Arthritis | Arthritis | ||
| n=212 | n=108 | n=104 | n=147 | |
| Female, n (%) | 133 (62.7) | 68 (63.0) | 65 (62.5) | 92 (62.6) |
| Age, years, mean±SD | 49.4±16.5 | 48.1±16.1 | 50.7±16.9 | 52.1±16.9 |
| Gradually onset complaints, n (%) | 137 (64.6) | 76 (70.4) | 61 (58.7) | 88 (59.9) |
| Morning stiffness, minutes | 30 (10–60) | 30 (10–60) | 30 (15–90) | 15 (0–60) |
| HAQ (0–3) | 0.63 (0.25–1.13) | 0.63 (0.25–1.00)* | 0.75 (0.38–1.38)* | – |
| TJC‡ | 9 (3–16) | 10 (5–18)* | 6.5 (2.25–14.75)* | 1 (0–5) |
| SJC, mean±SD | – | – | 3±3 | 2±4 |
| ESR, mm/h† | – | – | 14 (7–24) | 15 (8–30) |
| ACPA positive, n (%)† | – | – | 10 (11.6%) | 27 (18.4%) |
| RF, positive, n (%)† | – | – | 20 (22.2%) | 47 (32.0) |
Unless otherwise stated values are median (IQR). *p<0.05.
†These variables were collected at the first regular outpatient clinic visit and therefore absent for the patients that at the EARC had no arthritis.
‡The TJC in the EARC is as reported by the patients and the TJC of the patients that arrived via regular referrals is assessed by the rheumatologist.
In the two Leiden and two Groningen data-sets, baseline characteristic between arthritis patients with and without information on the dates of symptom onset or the dates on first general practitioner-visit were not significantly different (data not shown).
EARC, Early Arthritis Recognition Clinic; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; SJC, Swollen Joint Count; ESR, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate; ACPA, Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibody; RF, Rheumatoid Factor; TJC, Tender Joint Count.