Table 5 Checklist for assessing appropriateness of self-sampling
Favorable Factors | Unfavorable Factors |
|---|---|
+ Disease with serological biomarker(s) relevant for disease monitoring (SLE, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis) |  - No clinically relevant serological bio-marker available (i.e. osteoarthritis) |
+ Analysis of few biomarkers sufficient (i.e. CRP, anti-dsDNA) |  - Under anticoagulant therapy |
+ Long travel / queue time for venous blood collection |  - Poor wound healing, eczema and other inflammatory skin disease |
+ Limited availability due to work/family responsibilities |  - Reduced finger strength/function and pain |
+ Immobile patient (high effort/burden associated with medical consultation) |  - Scared of blood self-collection |
+ Scared of venous blood collection |  - Previous failure of blood self-collection |
+ Venous blood collection difficult to perform |  - Limited interest in self-collection |
+ Stable disease where main aim of appointment is blood-collection and discussion of blood results could be carried out remotely |  |
+ Active disease, self-sampling allowing earlier/more frequent analysis of therapeutic response |  |
+ High patient adherence |  |