To analyze whether sex differences in referral exist in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
At the Department of Rheumatology of the Leiden University Medical Center, a special early arthritis clinic (EAC) was established. General practitioners (GPs) were encouraged to refer patients with joint complaints to the EAC. Subsequently, the diagnosis RA was made by a rheumatologist.
In this report, 142 women and 82 men were included. The delays in patient's first encounter with a GP for both sexes were comparable. However, a significant difference in the GP's delay in referring female patients with RA to the EAC in comparison with male patients was observed (median of 93 days vs 58 days; p = 0.008).
This report determined GP referral delay of female patients to a rheumatologist. GPs should be made aware that early detection and early referral of patients with RA are crucial for early treatment.