The role of the rheumatologist in managing arthritis.
Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 11795559.
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Abstract
When and why should a patient with arthritis see a rheumatologist? To establish or confirm the diagnosis: aim for diagnosis within six weeks of onset. To plan an optimal management program: early, aggressive treatment is essential to achieve the best outcome in patients with inflammatory arthritis. To assess the response to treatment: failure to respond to treatment requires a change in drug regimen--objective measures of disease activity should be used.