Study: Arthritis Patients Who See Rheumatologist Get Better Care

Arthritis patients who have access to a rheumatologist may get better care and an earlier start of treatment than patients not seeing a specialist, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.

Canadian researchers tracked the treatment of 29,297 patients with rheumatoid arthritis over a five-year period to see how many were given disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and whether patients seen by a rheumatologist (arthritis specialist) were more likely to receive these drugs than patients not seen by a specialist.

DMARDs are considered to be the first line of treatment for newly-diagnosed arthritis patients. Studies have shown that patients given DMARDs have less joint damage, better function, and longer life expectancy than patients who are not given the drugs.

Researchers found that 9,412 (32 percent) patients were seen by a rheumatologist and 80 percent of them had used a DMARD. The rest of the patients were seen by either an internist or a family practitioner. A total of 53 percent of patients seen by an internist and 14 percent of patients seen by a family practitioner were given DMARDs.

"It is important for people with rheumatoid arthritis, one of the most disabling types of arthritis, to be treated with DMARDs," said Dr. Diane Lacaille, Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia and lead investigator of the study. "We know from this study that it is more likely to happen if they are followed by a rheumatologist."

Other sources: American College of Rheumatology