Pediatric rheumatology clinic populations in the United States: results of a 3 year survey. Pediatric Rheumatology Database Research Group.

Abstract

PRC see a wide variety of patients. Although the majority do have rheumatologic conditions, over 50% of new patients have conditions not autoimmune in origin. Fourteen percent of the patients cannot be diagnosed at the time of their first clinic visit, requiring time to see the evolution of their symptoms before a definitive diagnosis can be assigned.