Understanding the Resolution of Clinically Suspect Arthralgia: Moving Forward, but Challenges Remain

To date, the standard approach for identifying individuals with a stage of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that rheumatologists feel comfortable clinically diagnosing as RA (ie, clinical RA) and treating with disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, is to wait until an individual has sufficient musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms that lead them to get a clinical evaluation, and that the individual has physical examination findings (ie, swollen joint[s]) that are indicative of active inflammatory arthritis (IA). Note: Herein, the term "clinical RA" is used to define a state where there is a swollen joint consistent with IA on physical examination, and where the rheumatologist feels comfortable diagnosing clinically and treating as RA.