OBJECTIVE: to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the four classification criteria of psoriatic arthritis (PA) in patients with inflammatory arthropathy: the Moll's and Wright's criteria, Bennet criteria, Vasey and Espinoza's criteria and Fournié's criteria. METHODS: we analysed 195 patients distributed in two groups: 65 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA group) and 130 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA group). After defining the true positives, true negatives, false positives and false negatives, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of each criteria. RESULTS: the Fournié's criteria were those with better performance, showing a sensitivity of 93.84% and specificity of 96.22%. The Bennet's criteria had a lower sensitivity (26.15%), but on the other hand, the high specificity (100%). CONCLUSION: the Fournié's criteria appears to be the most efficient to identify the various PA's forms, including the cases of PA without cutaneous psoriasis or in the group with diffuse enthesopathies, allowing an early diagnostic and avoiding the possible complications that can lead to permanent incapacity and deformity.
psoriatic ar thritis; classification criteria; spondyloarthropathies
