Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network Recommendations for the Referral of Adults With Chronic Back Pain and Suspected Axial Spondyloarthritis to a Rheumatologist.
Dubreuil M · 2026 · ACR open rheumatology
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What this paper found
US experts and patients built a points-based referral rule for adults under 45 with chronic back pain: features such as uveitis, raised inflammatory markers, a family history, HLA-B27, inflammatory bowel disease, imaging signs, psoriasis and a good response to anti-inflammatories each add to a score, and three or more points means see a rheumatologist. It targets a diagnostic delay that in the US runs up to 14 years.
Why this is on the map
A concrete, checkable list of the features that should trigger referral; useful for anyone still waiting for a diagnosis.
On the map under this thread
DOI: 10.1002/acr2.90129 · opens in a new tab. The full paper is on the publisher’s site, not here.
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