Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis

The American Rheumatism Association 1987 revised criteria for the classification of rheumatoid arthritis.

Arnett FC, Edworthy SM, Bloch DA, McShane DJ, Fries JF, Cooper NS, Healey LA, Kaplan SR, Liang MH, Luthra HS, et al.

American Rheumatism Association, Atlanta, GA 30329.

The new criteria are as follows:
1) morning stiffness in and around joints lasting at least 1 hour before maximal improvement;
2) soft tissue swelling (arthritis) of 3 or more joint areas observed by a physician;
3) swelling (arthritis) of the proximal interphalangeal, metacarpophalangeal, or wrist joints;
4) symmetric swelling (arthritis);
5) rheumatoid nodules;
6) the presence of rheumatoid factor; and
7) radiographic erosions and/or periarticular osteopenia in hand and/or wrist joints.

Criteria 1 through 4 must have been present for at least 6 weeks. Rheumatoid arthritis is defined by the presence of 4 or more criteria

PMID: 3358796 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

from pubmed