Skip to main content
. 2016 Apr 28;2(1):e000221. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2015-000221

Table 1.

Comparison between reporting to follow the EULAR and T2T recommendations and managing patients in clinical practice

Rheumatologists’ opinion about adherence (measured in 72 rheumatologists)*
Rheumatologists’ performance in daily practice (measured in 378 patients)†
Always followed, n (%) (Some) times/never followed, n (%) Missing, n (%) Always applied, n (%) (Some) times/never applied, n (%) Not reported, n (%)
EU 1. ‘Treatment with synthetic DMARDs should be started as soon as the diagnosis of RA is made’. 70 (98) 1 (1) 1 (1) 253 (67) 65 (17) 60 (16)
EU 3. ‘MTX is part of the first treatment strategy in patients with active RA’. 69 (96) 2 (3) 1 (1) 225 (60) 93 (24) 60 (16)
EU 4. ‘When MTX contraindications (or intolerance) are present, the following DMARDs should be used: leflunomide, sulfasalazine of injectable gold’. 59 (82) 12 (17) 1 (1) 15 (19) 78 (81)
T2T ‘Measures of disease activity must be obtained and documented regularly’‡ 60 (83) 10 (14) 2 (3) 68 (27) 125 (51)
23 in ≥75%;
45 in ≥50%;
27 in <50%;
30 in none of the visits
54 (22)

*Always=rheumatologists report following this recommendation, sometimes/never=rheumatologists report following this recommendation sometimes or not, missing=no answer was filled in.

†Always=rheumatologists follow this recommendation, sometimes/never=rheumatologists follow this recommendation sometimes or not. Not reported=no information present on whether the recommendation is followed by the rheumatologist.

‡As frequently as monthly for patients with high/moderate disease activity or less frequently (such as every 3–6 months) for patients in sustained low disease activity or remission.

EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; T2T, treat to target.