Table 3 Frequency of presence of conditions in the Chinese version of the Early Inflammatory Arthritis detection tool (N = 131)

20 (15)

31 (24)

20 (15)

20 (15)

20 (15)

20 (15)

Chinese EIA detection tool score

3.2 (6.1)

47.8 (22.4)

30.0 (14.8)

22.7 (25.5)

44.1 (22.7)

27.3 (16.7)

<0.001

 Mean (S. D.) [median, minimum, maximum]

[0, 0, 18]^a

[46, 9, 91]^b

[27, 9, 55]^bd

[9, 0, 91]^cd

[46, 9, 82]^bc

[27, 0, 64]^cd

1. Do you have pain in your joints?

2 (10)^a

24 (78)^bc

19 (95)^c

8 (40)^ab

13 (65)^bc

12 (60)^bc

<0.001

2. Do you have pain in your wrists and hands?

1 (5)^a

20 (65)^bc

6 (30)^ac

8 (40)^ac

13 (65)^bc

4 (20)^ac

<0.001

3. Are your hands or wrists swollen?

0 (0)^a

17 (55)^b

2 (10)^ac

5 (25)^abc

9 (45)^bc

1 (5)^ac

<0.001

4. Do you have trouble making a fist?

0 (0)

11 (36)

2 (10)

3 (15)

4 (20)

2 (10)

0.020

5. Are your joints stiff in the morning?

1 (5)^a

18 (58)^b

12 (60)^b

10 (50)^b

13 (65)^b

15 (75)^b

<0.001

6. From the time you wake in the morning, does it take more than 60 min for your joints to move more freely?

0 (0)

5 (16)

1 (5)

1 (5)

5 (25)

2 (10)

0.123

7. Are the same joints involved on both sides of your body?

0 (0)^a

14 (45)^bc

9 (45)^bc

5 (25)^ac

7 (35)^ac

8 (40)^bc

0.003

8. Have important activities in your life been affected because of bone or joint problems, such as having difficulty with personal care or having to make a change regarding leisure or work activities?

2 (10)^a

17 (55)^bc

9 (45)^ac

1 (5)^a

8 (40)^ac

7 (35)^ac

0.001

9. Have you ever been told that you have rheumatoid arthritis?

0 (0)^a

29 (94)^b

3 (15)^a

4 (20)^a

3 (15)^a

4 (20)^a

<0.001

10. Does anyone in your family have rheumatoid arthritis?

0 (0)

5 (16)

3 (15)

4 (20)

3 (15)

3 (15)

0.421

11. Have you been diagnosed with a rash called psoriasis?

1 (5)^a

3 (10)^a

0 (0)^a

1 (5)^a

19 (95)^b

2 (10)^a

<0.001