An Evaluation on the 1982 Revised Criteria for the Classification of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one of the chronic autoimmune diseases with various inflammatory manifestations involving multiple organ systems, accompanied by multiple immunological abnormalities. The Preliminary Criteria for the Classification of SLE by American Rheumatism Association (ARA) had been widely used for the diagnosis of patients with SLE since 1971. The criteria was newly revised by ARA in 1982. The sensitivity and the specificity of the 1982 Revised Criteria was evaluated in our patients with connective tissue diseases. The sensitivity for SLE (78 cases) was 94.9%, and the specificities against PSS (17 cases), PM (10 cases) or RA (19 cases) were all 100%. The sensitivity for the diagnosis at initial visits in patients with SLE was also 78.2% and the 1982 Criteria was considered to be quite useful for early diagnosis of SLE. The results indicated that the 1982 Criteria could be more useful in diagnosis of SLE than the 1971 Criteria.