Time to Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drug Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Predictors: A National, Multicenter, Retrospective Cohort

Fewer than 50% of patients with RA are treated with DMARD within 6 months from symptom onset. Time to referral to rheumatology represents the greatest component delay to treatment. Concomitant musculoskeletal condition was the most prominent predictor of delayed initiation of DMARD. Implications of these and other findings warrant further investigation.