title: Assessment of disease severity and prognosis.
abstract: The Subcommittee members initially agreed on the concepts of disease activity, damage and severity, defining severity as the total effect of disease on organ function. It was decided to start with the assessment of severity using the Medsger's severity scale. A revised version of this scale was constructed. The rationale for the exclusion of other variables was provided.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Suite 502, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Medsger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bombardieri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Czirjak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scorza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Della Rossa
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bencivelli
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index