To screen or not to screen: how to find and identify very early arthritis

There is accumulating evidence demonstrating that early treatment leads to better outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. In order to be treated early, patients thus need to be identified at the earliest possible stage. This means identifying patients with rheumatoid arthritis at their earliest clinical signs but it could also mean screening for healthy individuals at high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. The different tools available to screen for these individuals are reviewed here and their relevance is discussed.