Most clinical diagnoses of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) follow correct classification criteria fulfillment, according to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology.
In this study, the investigators analyzed 239 patients, of which 141 fulfilled radiographic axSpA (r-axSpA) criteria and 57 fulfilled non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) criteria. They assessed for physical evaluation, laboratory testing, questionnaires, and appropriate imaging and then analyzed appropriate New York (mNY) classification and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) classification.
Patients with r-axSpA tended to be older, male, had a longer disease duration, and had worse spinal mobility compared with nr-axSpA patients, who as the researchers noted, had more enthesitis and dactylitis. According to the results, there was a robust agreement between r-axSpA and mNY criteria at 94%, with the positive predictive value of 71%. Overall, 83% of axSpA diagnoses followed ASAS and mNY classification criteria.
Reference: Lindqvist E, Olofsson T, Jöud A, Geijer M, Wallman JK, Mogard E. How good is the agreement between clinical diagnoses and classification criteria fulfilment in axial spondyloarthritis? Results from the SPARTAKUS cohort. Scand J Rheumatol. 2022;1-10. doi:10.1080/03009742.2022.2064183
