title: An EULAR study group pilot study on reliability of simple capillaroscopic definitions to describe capillary morphology in rheumatic diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To propose simple capillaroscopic definitions for interpretation of capillaroscopic morphologies and to assess inter-rater reliability.
  
  
  METHODS
  The simple definitions proposed were: normal--hairpin, tortuous or crossing; abnormal--not hairpin, not tortuous and not crossing; not evaluable--whenever rater undecided between normal and abnormal. Based upon an aimed kappa of 0.80 and default prevalences of normal (0.4), abnormal (0.4) and not evaluable (0.2) capillaries, 90 single capillaries were presented to three groups of raters: experienced independent raters, n = 5; attendees of the sixth EULAR capillaroscopy course, n = 34; novices after a 1-h course, n = 11. Inter-rater agreement was assessed by calculation of proportion of agreement and by kappa coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean kappa based on 90 capillaries was 0.47 (95% CI: 0.39, 0.54) for expert raters, 0.40 (95% CI: 0.36, 0.44) for attendees and 0.46 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.52) for novices, with overall agreements of 67% (95% CI: 63, 71), 63% (95% CI: 60, 65) and 67% (95% CI: 63, 70), respectively. Comparing only normal vs the combined groups of abnormal and not evaluable capillaries did increase the kappa: 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37 ,: 0.65), 0.53 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.58) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.62). On the condition that the capillaries were classifiable, the mean kappa was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.74) for expert raters (n = 65), 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.83) for attendees (n = 20) and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.89) for novices (n = 44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This multicentre, international study showed moderate reliability of simple capillaroscopic definitions for describing morphology of capillaries by rheumatologists with varying levels of expertise. Novices were capable of distinguishing normal from abnormal capillaries by means of a 1-h training session. In future studies, the class not evaluable may be obsolete.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, Vanessa.Smith@UGent.be.
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Smith
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Sam
authors: S
authors: Beeckman
authors: Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
authors: Ariane L
authors: AL
authors: Herrick
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Saskia
authors: S
authors: Decuman
authors: Biostatistics Unit, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Deschepper
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Filip
authors: F
authors: De Keyser
authors: Division of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Distler
authors: Hamburg Centre for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Centre for Treatment of Scleroderma and Uveitis in Childhood and Adolescence, Teaching Unit of the Asklepios Campus of the Semmelweis Medical School, Budapest, An der Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Foeldvari
authors: Division of Rheumatology, Istituto Gaetano Pini, Department of Clinical Sciences & Community Health, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Ingegnoli
authors: Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Giessen/Kerckhoff-Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
authors: Ulf
authors: U
authors: Müller-Ladner
authors: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University Sapienza Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Riccieri
authors: Clinic of Rheumatology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Riemekasten
authors: Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy and.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Sulli
authors: Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Voskuyl
authors: Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy and.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Cutolo
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000193:education; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: EULAR study group on microcirculation; capillaroscopy; definitions; experts; morphology; novices; reliability; trainees