Table 3.
Referral sources
| Referral sources at presentation by disease pattern | Whole cohort | 2001–04 | 2005–06 | 2007–08 | 2009–11 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oligoarticular pattern (%) | ||||||
| Primary care (GP) | 114 (17.6) | 34 (17.5) | 24 (15.4) | 36 (20.6) | 20 (16.4) | 0.7 |
| Accident and emergency doctor | 51 (7.9) | 21 (10.8) | 6 (3.8) | 14 (8) | 10 (8.2) | 0.5 |
| Paediatrician | 224 (34.6) | 48 (24.7) | 64 (41) | 68 (38.8) | 44 (36) | 0.02 |
| Orthopaedics | 208 (32.1) | 81 (41.7) | 49 (31.4) | 46 (26.3) | 32 (26.2) | 0.001 |
| Physiotherapist | 8 (1.24) | 1 (0.5) | 2 (1.3) | 4 (2.3) | 1 (0.8) | 0.45 |
| Other | 42 (6.5) | 9 (4.6) | 11 (7) | 7 (4) | 15 (12.3) | 0.048 |
| Polyarticular pattern (%) | ||||||
| Primary care (GP) | 62 (22.6) | 22 (35.5) | 14 (17.5) | 17 (21.5) | 9 (17) | 0.06 |
| Accident and emergency doctor | 15 (5.5) | 7 (11.3) | 3 (3.75) | 4 (5) | 1 (1.9) | 0.06 |
| Paediatrician | 134 (48.9) | 13 (21) | 48 (60) | 39 (49.4) | 34 (64.1) | <0.001 |
| Orthopaedics | 38 (13.8) | 14 (22.6) | 8 (10) | 12 (15.2) | 4 (7.5) | 0.08 |
| Physiotherapist | 2 (0.7) | 0 | 2 (2.5) | 0 | 0 | 0.55 |
| Other | 23 (8.4) | 6 (9.7) | 5 (6.25) | 7 (8.9) | 5 (9.4) | 0.8 |
| Systemic onset pattern (%) | ||||||
| Primary care (GP) | 3 (5.4) | 2 (11.7) | 0 | 1 (6.25) | 0 | 0.25 |
| Accident and emergency doctor | 4 (7.3) | 2 (11.7) | 1 (9.1) | 1 (6.25) | 0 | 0.23 |
| Paediatrician | 37 (67.3) | 10 (58.8) | 9 (81.8) | 10 (62.5) | 8 (72.7) | 0.7 |
| Orthopaedics | 4 (7.3) | 1 (5.9) | 0 | 2 (12.5) | 1 (9.1) | 0.5 |
| Physiotherapist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 7 (17.3) | 2 (11.7) | 1 (9.1) | 2 (12.5) | 2 (18.2) | 0.44 |
GP: general practitioner.