For patients
In principle, patients with early (< 3 years) rheumatoid arthritis who are not yet receiving an "anchor therapy" (e.g. with methotrexate) are eligible for the study.
There is a suspicion of inflammatory rheumatism if the following criteria are fulfilled:
- More than two swollen joints for at least six weeks
- Symmetrical distribution, e.g., left and right hand
- Stiffness in the morning for at least 60 minutes
- Remarkable blood test values indicating inflammation
Your general practitioner will verify these criteria based on your symptoms.
The biggest problem associated with treating rheumatoid arthritis is the early detection and immediate treatment of inflammatory rheumatoid diseases. Rheumatologists in Germany therefore offer "early arthritis" office hours. During these special office hours, patients exhibiting the above-mentioned criteria for inflammatory rheumatism are treated without having to wait a long time for an appointment. It is important for general practitioners and rheumatologists to cooperate intensively in order to refer patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis for specialized, coordinated treatment at an early stage.