Tender joints in early autoantibody-negative rheumatoid arthritis: Should they be included in the scoring of joint involvement of the 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria?
Authors' conclusion
Joint tenderness should be included in the evaluation of the pattern of joint involvement of the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria to correctly classify patients with autoantibody-negative early RA.
Study context
- Population
- Autoantibody-negative patients fulfilling the 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis (RA) criteria at enrollment, prospective early arthritis cohort
- Participants
- 354 patients
- Exposure
- Reclassification of 2010 ACR/EULAR joint involvement score by swollen joints: score 2 vs score 3 vs score 5
- Outcome
- Specificity for persistent arthritis of reclassifying joint involvement based on swollen joints
Methodological detailsearly arthritis cohort, 2005-2018
- Early arthritis cohort
- 2005-2018
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Distribution of swollen joint scores · baseline
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Ultrasonographic (US) synovitis and power Doppler of wrists and MCP joints · baseline
- Equal signs across groups
Treatment intensification · month 12
- Similar requirements in lower vs higher swollen joint scores
Need of second-line treatment strategies · month 36
- Lower need in patients with higher baseline inflammation (most favourable outcomes)
Sensitivity analysis excluding concomitant fibromyalgia
- Did not modify the results
Original publication
Tender joints in early autoantibody-negative rheumatoid arthritis: Should they be included in the scoring of joint involvement of the 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria? Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 29 January 2025. doi:10.
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