title: Postpublication validation of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis:  where do we stand?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarise the results of the validation studies testing the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to date and highlight the areas for future research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for RA were developed aiming to identify patients early in the natural history of the disease. Validation studies conducted since their publication have demonstrated that, compared with the 1987 ACR criteria for RA, the 2010 criteria identify more patients earlier in the disease course. Sensitivity for the initiation of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and persistent disease is increased, with decreased specificity. Patients who are seronegative may not satisfy the 2010 criteria despite meeting the 1987 criteria at presentation. The 2010 criteria may also incorrectly classify some patients with self-limiting disease as RA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2010 criteria appear to be superior to the 1987 criteria in terms of identifying individuals with early RA. Their validity in established disease and their ability to predict worse prognosis in the long term have yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: Deborah P M
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Symmons
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012219:Rheumatology; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents