Effectiveness of a Referral Program for rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis Diagnosis at Primary Care Centers in Portugal - SIARA STUDY.

Objectives: Early diagnosis and treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and axial Spondylarthritis (axial SpA) can limit the impact of disease outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a referral program on the identification of patients with RA and axial SpA.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective, randomized (by clusters) study conducted in Portugal to evaluate the impact of the implementation of a set of referral support actions (RSA).