SynthesisBMC rheumatology2026
Rheumatoid Arthritis referral criteria: systematic review of the literature.
Synthesis in BMC rheumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- When does laboratory completeness become a quality indicator in early arthritis referral?Rheumatology international · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionTimely referral in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is critical for early diagnosis and initiation of treatment, which are crucial to improve patient outcomes and limit radiographic progression. Optimized referral criteria, whether applied by clinicians or healthcare artificial intelligence systems, can facilitate faster and more accurate decisions regarding patient assessment by a Rheumatologist. Despite this need, a validated and widely adopted referral tool for RA is still lacking.
objectiveTo compile and analyse all available RA referral criteria since January 2001 until October 2023.
methodsWe searched PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science in the considered period, using a defined set of strings. Studies were only included if they provided RA referral criteria or Inflammatory/Early Arthritis criteria directed at RA diagnosis.
resultsWe identified 19 publications. Most include symptoms in referral criteria, either arthralgia or stiffness (63%) and only 16% considered constitutional symptoms such as fever, fatigue or weight loss. However, the most prevalent criteria for referral is swollen joints (79%), while tender joints are included in 63% and squeeze test assessment in 33%. Regarding laboratory tests, rheumatoid factor is considered in 53% of referral criteria, while ACPA in 32%. Nearly half of the referral criteria consider inflammatory markers (CRP and/or ESR). Family history is present in 21% of the cases. DISCUSSION: Published RA referral criteria encompass several components (symptoms, signs, laboratory and family history), but none were validated in a large cohort of patients. The vast majority, were either part of recommendations, published guidelines or based in expert opinion. There is an unmet need for evidence-based validated RA referral criteria. PROSPERO REGISTER: CRD42024499423.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.