Rheumatologists and the Requesting of Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) Tests in Patients With Rheumatologic Complaints

Sint Maartenskliniek

Status: Completed

Conditions: Rheumatic Diseases

Treatments: Behavioral: Education and feedback

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02409251

RR-103-ANA

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of a simple intervention (a combination of education and feedback) on Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) testing.

This aim was chosen because of the known overuse of many laboratory tests, of which ANA testing is one. As overuse of ANA tests can have negative consequences (both for patients and society), the investigators designed an intervention to see how this would influence Antinuclear Antibody testing by rheumatologists.

Enrollment: 29 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria rheumatologists:

• rheumatologists who are consulting patients at the rheumatology outpatient clinic of a participating centre

Exclusion Criteria rheumatologists:

• rheumatologists not working the full study period (pre- and post-intervention) at a participating centre
• rheumatologists not giving their consent to participate

Inclusion Criteria patients - all patients with an ANA test requested by an included rheumatologist during the study period

Exclusion Criteria patients

• patients with an ANA test requested during a clinical admission

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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29 participants in 1 patient group

Education and feedback

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention consisted of a one-hour, small group educational session. During this session information on rational ANA testing was provided and feedback on current ANA testing was provided to the rheumatologists. A booster session with the same components was held 6 months after the first session.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Education and feedback