INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to describe the referral pattern among @entity1 admitted to @entity625 ( @entity625 ) in the counties of Funen and South Jutland, Denmark. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to accelerate the diagnostic workup of @entity1 with suspected @entity309 ( @entity309 ), general practitioners, rheumatology specialists and neighbouring hospital departments were invited to refer to the @entity625 @entity1 who had @entity603 in at least one joint lasting more than 6 weeks but less than 12 months. RESULTS: 226 @entity1 were admitted. The median total lag time from onset of joint complaints to visiting the @entity625 was 89 days (IQ 57-154). The average lag time between receipt of the referral to the first visit to the @entity625 was 18 days (IQ 5-31). 91 (40%) of the @entity1 had @entity603 upon clinical examination. 51 (23%) of these fulfilled the ACR 1987 classification criteria for @entity309 , and 40 (17%) had @entity603 of other aetiologies than @entity309 . Compared with non- @entity309 @entity1 , the @entity309 subset was characterised by older age, female preponderance, higher joint counts and disability and a more pronounced acute phase response. Despite the short duration of the disease, 17% of the @entity309 @entity1 had @entity11898 . DISCUSSION: In spite of the rigid criteria for referral to the @entity625 , @entity603 was demonstrated by clinical examination in only 40% of the @entity1 . Half of these were classified as @entity309 . The total median lag time of three months from the onset of joint symptoms to the first visit to the @entity625 accords with current recommendations. Standardised criteria for referral to EACs should be prepared and combined with educational efforts to improve joint assessment skills.

[Early referral and treatment of @entity1 with XXXX . Experiences from two @entity625 ].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity11898 :: ('MESH:C564523', 'Disease') :: ['X-ray erosions'] @entity625 :: ('MESH:D001168', 'Disease') :: ['EAC', 'early arthritis clinics'] @entity603 :: ('MESH:D013585', 'Disease') :: ['synovitis'] @entity309 :: ('MESH:D001172', 'Disease') :: ['rheumatoid arthritis', 'RA']
@entity625 :: (MESH:D001168,Disease) :: ['acute arthritis']
