Criteria for severe extraarticular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis3 used in our study. Adapted from Turesson, et al. Scand J Rheumatol 2004;33:65–72; with permission.
| Manifestation | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pericarditis | Clinical judgment and exudation verified by echocardiography. Other causes improbable, such as tuberculosis or other infection, metastases, primary tumor, postoperative status, or other trauma. |
| Pleuritis | Clinical suspicion and exudation verified by radiograph. Other causes improbable, such as tuberculosis or other infection, metastases, primary tumor, postoperative status, or other trauma. |
| Interstitial lung disease | Clinical symptoms and either vital capacity or carbon monoxide diffusion capacity reduced by 15% from normal. In addition, either HRCT or a lung biopsy compatible with interstitial lung disease. |
| Felty’s syndrome | Splenomegaly (clinically evident or measured by ultrasound) and neutropenia (< 1.8 × 109/l) on 2 occasions. Other causes improbable, such as drug side effect or infection. |
| Neuropathy | Clinical judgment and signs of mononeuropathy/polyneuropathy at EMG/ENeG. |
| Scleritis, episcleritis, or retinal vasculitis | Clinical judgment by ophthalmologist. |
| Glomerulonephritis | Clinical judgment by nephrologist and positive biopsy. |
| Major cutaneous vasculitis | Diagnostic biopsy or clinical judgment by dermatologist. |
| Vasculitis involving other organs | Clinical judgment by organ specialist and biopsy compatible with vasculitis. |
HRCT: high-resolution computed tomography; EMG: electromyography; ENeG: electroneurography.