The value of clinical signs in rheumatology

Eliciting and interpreting clinical signs is essential in diagnosing many rheumatic disorders but the sensitivity and specificity of many of these signs for any given disorder remains poorly categorised.

To discuss important clinical signs in rheumatological disease and to assess their clinical significance.

Physical examination forms a vital part of the assessment of musculoskeletal and rheumatic disorders but there remains a need for studies to assess the clinical usefulness of a number of the clinical signs elicited. The patterns of presentation of groups of clinical signs are of more diagnostic significance than individual clinical signs.