Table 3

Results of the third turn of the Delphi technique: domain-specific instruments and their cut off points, defining the disease activity for each selected domain, considered during the previous turns as the main domains

DomainInstrumentCut off point
In case of isolated axial involvement
    Patient’s global assessmentVAS, past week⩾40 mm
    Inflammatory painVAS past week, night, due to AS⩾40 mm
    Functional impairmentBASFI⩾40
    Laboratory parametersESR or CRPESR ⩾28 mm/1st h or CRP ⩾ normal range
    Refractory to NSAIDsInadequate symptomatic response to NSAIDs at maximum tolerated dosageOf at least 2 NSAIDs
In case of peripheral arthritis
    Patient’s global assessmentVAS, past week⩾40 mm
    Number of swollen joints44⩾1
    Number of tender joints44⩾3
    Functional impairmentBASFI⩾40
    Laboratory parametersESR or CRPESR ⩾28 mm/1st h or CRP ⩾ normal range
    Refractory to NSAIDsInadequate symptomatic response to NSAIDs at maximum tolerated dosageOf at least 2 NSAIDs
In case of enthesitis
    Patient’s global assessmentVAS, past week⩾40 mm
    Tender enthesitis0–4 Likert scaleAt least moderate (⩾2)
    Functional impairmentBASFI⩾40
    Refractory to NSAIDsInadequate symptomatic response to NSAIDs at maximum tolerated dosageOf at least 2 NSAIDs
    Refractory to local treatmentInsufficient response to local steroid injectionsOf at least 2 injections