Re: Get this guys--here's a survey of England's rheumy's view

[Guest guest]

Although this survey deals with England rheumatologists and their

perception of HMS (EDS 3 minus skin signs) I think it can more than

be applied to the US and Canada. My guess is that the results would

be even worse over here as their is even less awareness of this

stuff.

Anyway, below is the absract with a link to the full article. In

short I think this quote covers it all " Nearly one-half of the

respondents were sceptical about a significant impact of the HMS on

people's lives and three-quarters about a significant contribution to

the overall burden of rheumatic disease. "

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British consultant rheumatologists' perceptions about the

hypermobility syndrome: a national survey

R. Grahame and H. Bird

Hypermobility Clinic, Centre for Rheumatology, University College

London Hospitals, 40–50 Tottenham Street, London W1P 9PG, UK

Abstract

Three hundred and nineteen UK-based consultant rheumatologists,

members of the British Society for Rheumatology (a response rate of

76%), responded to a questionnaire concerning their perceptions of

the (benign joint) hypermobility syndrome (HMS). The questions were

wide-ranging and covered the nature of the condition, its clinic

prevalence, criteria for diagnosis, the efficacy of chosen

treatments, the impact of the syndrome on affected individuals and

the contribution that it makes to the overall burden of rheumatic

disease morbidity. Ninety-two per cent of the respondents believed in

the HMS as a distinct clinical entity but only 39% accepted it as a

distinct pathological entity. Only 42% were prepared to comment on

whether the HMS and Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type

(formerly EDS type III) were one and the same entity. There was

striking variability in estimated clinic prevalence and no consensus

about the diagnostic criteria being used. There was little enthusiasm

for treatments currently available. Nearly one-half of the

respondents were sceptical about a significant impact of the HMS on

people's lives and three-quarters about a significant contribution to

the overall burden of rheumatic disease. There was little sign of

awareness of findings in recent published studies. It seems unlikely,

therefore, that evidence-based medicine is being practised in this

area of rheumatology. An unexpected finding was a refreshing

enthusiasm for joining regional interest groups on hypermobility (25%

of all UK consultants expressed interest).

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The link to the full article is here:

http://rheumatology.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/40/5/559