[Comparative study of diagnostic criteria of rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese patients]

The ARA 1958 and 1987 revised classification criteria of RA are tested in 111 consecutive patients with RA and 54 cases of non-RA connective tissue diseases from three hospitals of tertiary level in Beijing. Comparing the two criteria, the specificity was the same as 88%, whereas the sensitivity changed from 94% of 1958 criteria to 91% of 1987 criteria. Factors affecting the sensitivity of 1987 criteria were mainly the morning stiffness which became to be more than 1 hour and increasing of number of swelling joints from one to three.