[Classification of rheumatic diseases. Knowledge and problems]

A classification of diseases serves following purposes: --Collection and processing of data on morbidity and mortality (administrative objective) --Tool for diagnostic evaluation (clinical decision making) --Indicator of the scientific state of the art of the disease (theoretic taxonomy). In the efforts to unify the classification of rheumatic disease, following two goals are realistic: 1) Improvement in the effective communication 2) Agreement with the targets set. The International Classification of Diseases for Rheumatology and Orthopedics (ICD-R and O), which has been jointly elaborated by the International League Against Rheumatism (ILAR) and the Societé Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie (SICOT), is a practicable international standard for the next years.