Table 1.
Description of included studies
| Study ID/year | N/duration* | Baseline characteristics | Intervention/comparison | |||
| Nurse-led follow-up |
Physician-led follow-up |
Nurse-led follow-up |
Physician-led follow-up | Included outcomes | ||
| Hill/2003 (3) | 80/12 | RA, 79% ♀, mean age 57 (SD 48.1), DD† 12, mean DAS-28: N/A | RA, 78% ♀, mean age 57 (SD 49.3), DD 17, mean DAS-28: N/A | FU by rheum. nurse, week: 0, 4, 12 24, 36, 48. AT:30 min CER:>20 |
FU by rheumatologist week 0, 4, 12 24, 36, 48. AT: 30 min CER: >2 |
PD (AIMS), Satisfaction (LSQ) |
| Koksvig/2013 (21) | 68/21 | % RA: 54, 71% ♀, mean age 49 (SD 13.3), DD 8, mean DAS-28: 3.05 (SD 0.94) | % RA: 52, 64% ♀, mean age 51 (SD 12.6), DD 9, mean DAS-28 2.87 (SD 0.79) | FU by rheum. nurse once a year. AT: 30 min CER: >10 |
FU by rheumatologist once a year. AT: 30 min CER: N/A |
DAS-28 Fatigue (VAS-fatigue) Satisfaction (LSQ) QoL (SF-36) PD (SF-36) |
| Larsson/2014 (22) | 107/21 | % RA: 53, 55% ♀, mean age 55 (SD 12.3), DD 17.3, mean DAS-28: 2.43 (SD 0.58) | % RA: 70, 56% ♀, mean age 55.8 (SD 13.2), DD 16.2, mean DAS-28 2.53 (SD 0.64) | FU by rheum. nurse once a week 26 weeks AT: 30 min CER: >20 |
FU by rheumatologist weeks 26 and 56 AT: 30 min CER: not described |
DA (DAS-28) PD (HAQ) Satisfaction (NRS) |
| Ndosi/2014 (23) | 181/12 | RA, 73.6% ♀, mean age 60.2 (SD 11.26), DD 9.6, mean DAS-28: 3.65 (SD 1.24) | RA, 74.4% ♀, mean age 57.3 (SD 12.2), DD 10.21, mean DAS-28 3.89 (SD 1.54) | FU by rheum nurse, week 13, 26, 39, 52 AT: 30 min CER: >10 |
FU by rheumatologist week 13, 26, 39, 52 AT: 30 min CER: median of 9 at consultant level |
DA (DAS-28) PD (HAQ) QoL (RAQoL) FRAQoLe (Fatigue VAS) Satisfaction (LSQ) Self-efficacy (ASES) |
| Primdahl/ 2012 and 2014 Sørensen/2014 (2,19,20) | 287/24 | RA, 51.5% ♀, mean age 60.8 (SD 12.4), DD 9.6, mean DAS-28: 2.1 (SD 0.51) | RA, 51% ♀, mean age 61.1 (SD 11.2), DD 7, mean DAS-28: 2.2 (SD 0.55) | FU by rheum nurse every 3 months. AT: 30 min CER: rheum. nurse, trained in joint assessment |
FU by rheumatologist with various frequency based on doctors judgement AT: 20–30 min CER: junior or senior |
DA (DAS-28) PD (HAQ) QoL (EQ-5D) Fatigue (Fatigue VAS) Satisfaction (LSQ) Self-efficacy (ASE) |
*Follow-up time (months).
†DiseaseDisease duration (DD), years.
FU, follow-up; AT, allocation time; CER, clinical experience within rheumatology; DAS28, Disease Activity Score-28; PD, physical disability; AIMS, Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale; ; LSQ, Leeds Satisfaction Questionnaire; QoL, quality of life; SF-36, Short-Form 36; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; RAQoL, rheumatoid arthritis quality of life; ASES, Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale; ; ; EQ-5D, European Quality of Life-5 dimensions; ; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire