title: Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis presenting for physiotherapy management: a multicentre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attending for physiotherapy management in Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Managers of physiotherapy departments in the 53 hospitals in Ireland were invited to participate in a multi-centre observational study over a 6-month period. Data on patients with RA the day of presentation for physiotherapy management were recorded. These data related to patient demographic details, disease management, aids and appliances, splint and orthoses usage and occupational issues. The Health Assessment Questionnaire was also recorded for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 273 patients from eight physiotherapy departments participated in the survey (n = 199; 73% female). Mean age of the participants was 59.3 (SD 12.5) years with mean disease duration of 13.8 (SD 10.6) years. The majority of the patients were inpatients (n = 170, 62%). Sixty-eight per cent of patients had attended for previous physiotherapy treatment and 98% were under current rheumatologist care. Biologic therapies were prescribed to 11% of patients. Use of splint and foot orthoses was high with 133 patients (49%) wearing splints and 75 (31%) wearing foot orthoses. The majority of patients had moderate (n = 119, 44%) or severe (n = 94, 35%) disability as per Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. Mean HAQ score was 1.5, with HAQ scores showing increasing disability with increasing age, disease duration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with RA attending for physiotherapy management present with varied profiles. This study provides valuable information on the characteristics of patients with RA attending for physiotherapy management which will contribute to physiotherapy service planning and delivery and will optimize patient care.
authors.affiliation: University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. norelee.kennedy@ul.ie
authors.forename: Norelee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Keogan
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Grainne
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cussen
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012656:Self-Help Devices
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents