Preliminary criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) evaluation in early diagnosed SLE and rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Abstract Preliminary criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were applied to patients with early diagnosed SLE and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are participants in a prospective community study of arthritis of recent onset. Sensitivity of the criteria was 88%, and specificity against RA was 97.5%. Sensitivity increased to 92% without loss of specificity when high titer antinuclear antibody (ANA) was used as an alternative criteria manifestation to LE cells. These results show the efficacy of the proposed criteria for early diagnosed patients, and support the inclusion of high titer ANA in the SLE criteria.