Design of an algorithm for the diagnostic approach of patients with joint pain

Background Rheumatic diseases are a reason for frequent consultation with primary care doctors. Unfortunately, there is a high percentage of misdiagnosis. Objective To design an algorithm to be used by primary care physicians to improve the diagnostic approach of the patient with joint pain, and thus improve the diagnostic capacity in four rheumatic diseases. Methods Based on the information obtained from a literature review, we identified the main symptoms, signs, and paraclinical tests related to the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis with peripheral involvement, systemic lupus erythematosus with joint involvement, and osteoarthritis. We conducted 3 consultations with a group of expert rheumatologists, using the Delphi technique, to design a diagnostic algorithm that has as a starting point “joint pain” as a common symptom for the four diseases. Results Thirty-nine rheumatologists from 18 countries of Ibero-America participated in the Delphi exercise. In the first consultation, we presented 94 items to the experts (35 symptoms, 31 signs, and 28 paraclinical tests) candidates to be part of the algorithm; 74 items (25 symptoms, 27 signs, and 22 paraclinical tests) were chosen. In the second consultation, the decision nodes of the algorithm were chosen, and in the third, its final structure was defined. The Delphi exercise lasted 8 months; 100% of the experts participated in the three consultations. Conclusion We present an algorithm designed through an international consensus of experts, in which Delphi methodology was used, to support primary care physicians in the clinical approach to patients with joint pain.

• Autores: Fernández-Ávila, Daniel; Rojas, María Ximena; Mora, Sergio Alexander; Varela Rojas, Paola; Vanegas-García, Lucía; Sapag-Durán, Ana María; Hormaza jaramillo, Andres Alberto; Fernández, Andrés Ricardo; Cachafeiro, Antonio; Meléndez, Belia Lucía; Caballero-Uribe, Carlo V; Toro Gutierrez, Carlos Enrique; Palleiro, Daniel; Jaimes-Fernández, Diego Alejandro; Arrieta, Dina Maria; Álvarez, Fausto; Pinto-Patarroyo, Gineth Paola; Quiceno, Guillermo Andrés; Pons-Estel, Guillermo; Gómez-Puerta, Jose A; Then Báez, Jossiell; Bello-Gualtero, Juan Manuel; Gutiérrez, Juan Martín; Segura-Charry, Juan Sebastian; Ferreyra Garrott, Leandro Gabriel; Stange, Lilith; Saldarriaga, Lina María; Ugarte-Gil, Manuel Francisco; Cardiel, Mario H.; Moreno, Mario Javier; Quintero, Maritza; Porras, Marlon B.; Colman, Nelly; Chávez, Nilmo Noel; Ruiz, Oscar Orlando; Mendez Patarroyo, Paul Alejandro; Machado-Xavier, Ricardo; Caicedo, Tomás; Ocampo, Vanessa D.; Bautista-Molano, Wilson Armando; Medina, Yimy; Fuentes-Silva, Yurilis; Soriano, Enrique Roberto
• Tipo de recurso: Article of journal
• Fecha de publicación: 2020
• Institución: Universidad El Bosque
• Repositorio: Repositorio U. El Bosque
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.unbosque.edu.co:20.500.12495/3935
• Acceso en línea: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12495/3935; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-020-05323-w; https://repositorio.unbosque.edu.co
• Palabra clave: Algorithms; Arthritis; Lupus erythematosus; Osteoarthritis; Physicians; Primary care; Rheumatoid; Spondyloarthritis; Systemic
• Rights: openAccess
• License: Acceso abierto