Earlier RA Diagnosis Leads to Lower Costs of Care Save

A study from the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic shows that is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is diagnosed within 12 weeks after symptom onset, treatment costs were lower in both autoantibody-negative and autoantibody-positive RA. 

The rheumatologist mantra is diagnose early, treat early and aggressively, to yield better outcomes. But does it translate to a lower cost of care? 

A total of 431 early arthritis patients seen between (2011 - 2017 were studied to look at symptom duration (symptom onset to first outpatient evaluation) and if treated was started early (defined as symptom duration <12 weeks).  Cost was calculated for 2022 and 2012.

For all patients, a delay in treatment beyond 12 weeks was associated with a higher cost of care, but this was greater autoantibody-negative RA (316% higher than early treatment; €4856 vs €1159) than with autoantibody-positive RA (19% higher). 

In autoantibody-positive RA who were given biologicals, a later treatment start was associated with 46% higher cost. 

Early diagnosis and treatment clearly impact treatment-related costs. Seronegative patients presumeably have higher costs related to delays and referral differences.