Comparison of general practitioners and rheumatologists' prescription patterns for XXXX with @entity626 .

@entity1 @entity626 @entity101 @entity571 @entity6 @entity230
BACKGROUND: To compare the prescription modalities of general practitioners (GPs) and rheumatologists (RHs) for symptomatic @entity626 ( @entity571 ) and to determine correlates with prescription of low-dose NSAIDs. METHODS: This observational, prospective, national survey was carried out among a national representative sample of GPs (n = 808) and RHs (n = 134). Each physician completed a medical questionnaire for the 2 most recent @entity1 fulfilling the ACR criteria for knee @entity571 . RESULTS: GPs and RHs included 1,570 and 251 @entity1 , respectively. Mean pain level of the knee (on a VAS, 0-100 mm) was greater for GP @entity1 than for RH @entity1 (49.8    16.3 vs. 46.2    17.1 mm, respectively; p < 0.01). As compared with @entity1 of RHs, those of GPs more frequently had another joint affected by @entity571 : 71.2% vs. 63.7% (p < 0.0001) and more often had @entity101 and @entity6 (p < 0.05). As compared with RHs, GPs more frequently prescribed low-dose NSAIDs (p < 0.0001), oral NSAIDs (p < 0.05), and topical NSAIDs (p < 0.0001) but less frequently symptomatic slow-acting drugs for @entity571 (p < 0.01). Moreover, GPs more frequently recommended rehabilitation (p < 0.01) and loss of weight (p < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis revealed an association of low-dose NSAIDs prescription and prescription by GPs, prescription of topical NSAIDs, no prescription of oral NSAIDs or coxibs and no intra-articular injection of @entity230 . CONCLUSIONS: This study identified speciality-related variability in some aspects of the management of knee @entity571 . The clinical profile of @entity1 with knee @entity571 differed between GPs and RHs.
