People often attribute joint problems to
ageing and feel that there is little their GP or
Table 1. Signs and
symptoms of
rheumatoid arthritis
Joint pain
Joint swelling
Joint symptoms are usually
symmetrical
Stiffness in the early morning
lasting longer than 30 minutes
Raised inflammatory markers
Possible positive rheumatoid
factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated
peptide antibodies
Fatigue
Weight loss or gain
Table 2. Barriers to
early diagnosis
Patient delay in seeking
professional help for joint
problems
Lack of awareness and
understanding of RA by the
general public
RA can be difficult to diagnose
Primary care clinicians lack
knowledge and/or experience
in managing RA
Delay in referral to specialist care
Lack of rapid referral systems
RA: rheumatoid arthritis
From: National Audit Office, 2009
Practice Nursing 2014, Vol 25, No 2 75 ©
2014 MA Healthcare Ltd
anyone else can do to change this