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Efficient methods for distinguishing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at an earlier phase from other diseases are strongly desired since early therapeutic intervention improves clinical and radiographic outcomes of RA.1–4 The clinical 2010 RA classification criteria was established based upon the consensus that RA is an inflammatory disease that develops persistent and/or erosive arthritis.2 ,3 Our series of studies as well as the article describing European League Against Rheumatism recommendations for the use of imaging for the clinical management of RA mention that MRI can be used to improve the certainty of a diagnosis of RA above clinical criteria.5 ,6 The present study was undertaken to investigate whether MRI findings of wrist and finger joints improve the diagnostic performance of 2010 RA classification criteria. One hundred sixty-six patients with early arthritis, who do not fulfil the 1987 RA criteria or other international criteria for rheumatic disease at entry …
Footnotes
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Contributors Study design: MT, KaA, MU, KiA, KE, AK. Data acquisition: MT, JK, YN, TS, YH, AO, TK, S-yK, NI, KI, KaA, SY, HN, TO, MU, AF, KiA, KE, AK. Statistical analysis: MT, KaA, KiA, KE, AK. Discussion: MT, JK, YN, TS, YH, AO, TK, S-yK, NI, KI, KaA, SY, HN, TO, MU, AF, KiA, KE, AK. Paper preparation: MT, KaA, MU, KiA, KE, AK.
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Competing interests None.
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Patient consent Obtained.
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Ethics approval Observational Study.
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Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.