Comparing nurse-led and rheumatologist-led care for rheumatoid arthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Weiwei Gu, Xiangfu Ding, Xu Han and 2 others
PMID 40552853WHAT IT FOUND
Nurse-led care and rheumatologist-led care produced similar outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
There was no difference in functional status, disease activity, or pain scores. Nurse-led care is a comparable option for managing stable patients, not a superior or inferior treatment.
Key findings
01The meta-analysis found no significant differences in functional status or disease activity between nurse-led and rheumatologist-led care groups.
02Pooled analysis of Health Assessment Questionnaire scores showed no significant difference between the two care models.
03Pooled analysis of Visual Analog Scale pain scores showed no significant difference between the two care models.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The included studies had substantially different follow-up intervals, which may bias the pooled results. The analysis only included published articles, so unpublished data or grey literature was missed. There was significant heterogeneity in some outcomes, particularly fatigue and pain, often driven by a single study. The studies were conducted in diverse healthcare systems (Sweden, UK, Germany, China), which may limit the generalizability to other regions.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Science and Technology Department of Jilin Province and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - Brasil (CNPq). No specific commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the text provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of significant difference as proof that nurse-led care is identical to rheumatologist-led care in all contexts. The high heterogeneity in some outcomes and the variation in follow-up times mean that equivalence is not firmly established for every patient profile, especially those with unstable disease.