E-triage Rheumatoid Arthritis Study in Early Arthritis (ERASE)
Principle Investigator: Dr. Walter P. Maksymowych
Co-investigators: Drs AS Russell, J Homik, S Keeling
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of about 100 different forms of arthritis. Patients with joint pain are often simply told that they have “arthritis” without being told what type of arthritis. It is important to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, particularly very soon after symptoms have started, as it can rapidly lead to serious joint damage and effective treatment is available. We are conducting a study on a questionnaire both for patients attending the out-patient clinic as well as online to see if it can help us to detect patients who may have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis but have not yet been diagnosed by an arthritis specialist.
This study is voluntary. But deciding to take part means that you are consenting to the collection and processing of information regarding your health and to being contacted by a member of our study team.
All information in the questionnaire will be strictly confidential and will be maintained on a secure web server with access only available to our study personnel.
The information that you provide will be pooled with that from a large number of other respondents (making it impossible to determine your identity) and used to produce a scientific report on the subject. All information or documents that leave this facility will identify you with a study number and your initials.
None of the information that is collected from your participation in this study will be available to you without the permission of the principal investigator (Dr. Maksymowych).
By clicking on the link marked “consent” and completing the questionnaire you agree to the use of this data for the study, and you also give permission for the researchers to send you similar questionnaires in the future.
Once the questionnaire has been completed online, we will arrange a consultation on a random selection of people at the University Hospital where you will be seen by one of us as well as one of our clinician nurses and have a physical examination and blood tests to check for the presence of rheumatoid arthritis.
It is important to note that this questionnaire is only a screening tool, will undergo further testing and possible modification as more information becomes available, and does not replace the evaluation and advice provided by a physician. If you are concerned by your joint pain you should see a doctor regardless of the results of the screening questionnaire.