Email: h.siddle@leeds.ac.uk

Research profile and key clinical specialties

I am an Associate Professor and the clinical lead for the Foot and Ankle STudies in Rheumatology (FASTER) program at the University of Leeds, and Consultant Podiatrist in Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.

My research focuses on how long-term conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis and diabetes, affect the foot and ankle and the impact they have.

My current programme of HEE/NIHR funded clinical research, aims to improve the early identification of people in the pre-clinical phase of rheumatoid arthritis through the use of more targeted anti-CCP testing in primary care.

Targeted anti-CCP testing of those who present with specific clinical symptoms provides an opportunity to improve early referral to secondary care, and prevent long-term joint damage and disability. 

Two key publications

• Siddle HJ, et al. Perceptions and experiences of individuals at-risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) knowing about their risk of developing RA and being offered preventive treatment: systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Published Online First: 08 November 2021. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221160
• Siddle HJ, et al. Plantar plate pathology is associated with erosive disease in the painful forefoot of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Jul 18;18(1):308.

Possible PhD projects

• Impact of diabetes/inflammatory arthritis the foot and ankle.
• Identifying symptoms/biomarkers in the pre-clinical phase of inflammatory arthritis.

More information

I have supervised 1 PhD student to completion and currently supervise 2 PhD students and 1 MD student.

Keywords: Foot, Ankle, Rheumatology, Podiatrist, Inflammatory arthritis, Diabetes, Targeted anti-CCP testing, Plantar plate pathology, Heidi, Siddle, Leeds

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