In this context, novel biomarkers reflecting RA pathogenesis could be tested for their performance in improving the recognition and management of chronic arthritides since the very early phases of the disease, before the fulfillment of any established classification criterion [ 96].
This immunological pattern influences the fulfillment of the SS classification criteria and may be related to the increased prevalence of hematological neoplasia that we found in patients with SS-HCV.
Eligibility criteria included fulfillment of the 1987 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for RA [ 18] and age 45 through 84 years.
Inclusion criteria for the early RA cohort were fulfillment of the 1987 ACR classification criteria for RA, disease duration less than one year, and being DMARD (disease-modifying antirheumatic drug) naïve.
Adult patients of ≥ 18 years of age with a diagnosis of RA were eligible to participate if they met the following inclusion criteria: fulfillment of the 1987 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for RA and seropositive status for rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), or both.
Information about date of diagnosis, defined as the date when the RA diagnosis was clinically confirmed by a rheumatologist, and cumulative fulfillment of the ACR 1987 classification criteria for RA was obtained from medical records by a rheumatologist at each department or by the project coordinator (MP) and a rheumatologist (MK) from the study team.
The ESCAPE RA inclusion criteria were: fulfillment of American College of Rheumatology criteria for the classification of RA [ 18] of ≥ 6 months; and age 45 to 84 years.
Inclusion criterion for TA patients was the fulfillment of the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria [ 28] while the exclusion criteria were current chronic infectious disease, malignancy, and pregnancy.
The inclusion criteria for patients were fulfillment of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League against Rheumatism classification criteria for RA [ 11].
These patients were then evaluated for their fulfillment of one or more of the three classification criteria: the MNY, ESSG, and ASAS classification criteria.
