The ACR/EULAR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis is a clinical calculator developed jointly by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). This calculator is used to classify patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the joints.
The ACR/EULAR criteria are applied to patients who have at least one joint with definite clinical synovitis (swelling) not better explained by another disease. The criteria are based on the weighted sum of four domains: joint involvement, serology (including rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody status), acute-phase reactants (C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), and duration of symptoms.
The clinical utility of this calculator is to aid in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, particularly in its early stages, and to differentiate it from other forms of arthritis or joint diseases. It is not intended to be used as the sole criteria for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, but rather as a tool to support clinical judgment.
Exclusion criteria for the use of this calculator include patients with conditions that could better explain the synovitis, such as lupus or psoriatic arthritis.
Reference
Daniel Aletaha, Tuhina Neogi, Alan J Silman et al. 2010 rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology / European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 Sep;69(9):1580-8.
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