Bridging the Gap Between Symptom Onset and Diagnosis in Axial Spondyloarthritis.

Objective: To evaluate a stratified screening process for the early identification of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) with consideration of the following: 1) wait times from primary care to rheumatology screen, 2) incremental precision and accuracy from primary care to rheumatology screening, and 3) diagnostic delay.

Methods: Adults with low back pain attending primary care at low back pain clinics prospectively underwent a primary standardized clinical screening. Patients with low back pain of >3 months who experienced symptom onset at age <50 years were referred for a comprehensive secondary screening by a physical therapist with advanced rheumatology training.

Advancing Early Identification of Axial Spondyloarthritis: An Interobserver Comparison of Extended Role Practitioners and Rheumatologists.

Objective: To compare clinical impression and confidence of extended role practitioners (ERP) with those of rheumatologists experienced in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) according to (1) evaluation of patients with chronic back pain assessed for axSpA; and (2) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) recommendation for further investigation of these patients.

Methods: Patients with ≥ 3 months of back pain and age of onset < 45 years were referred for axSpA evaluation. An ERP assessed consecutive patients and recorded standardized clinical information in written form.

Practice patterns of canadian physiotherapists mobilizing patients with external ventricular drains.

Purpose: To describe current mobilization practices of Canadian physiotherapists when treating patients with external ventricular drains (EVDs).

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study design using an online questionnaire via SurveyMonkey. An email invitation and questionnaire link was distributed in March 2010 to physiotherapists currently working with this patient population in Neurosurgical Centres across Canada.