Objective.
To assess the sensitivity and specificity
of the Classification of Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR)
Study Group criteria in early psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
and to compare them with the sensitivity and specificity
of the Moll and Wright criteria.
Methods.
The CASPAR Study Group criteria were
applied to patients with early PsA (<24 div="" months="" symp-="">
tom duration) and to control patients with other new-
onset inflammatory arthritides. Both groups were naive
to all disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. The gold
standard diagnosis was confirmed by the consulting
rheumatologist using radiography and magnetic reso-
nance imaging where required. Proportions of patients
and control patients meeting the criteria were compared
using McNemar’s tests.
Results.
We recruited a total of 111 patients with
early PsA and 111 control patients with other forms of
inflammatory arthritis (82 with rheumatoid arthritis, 13
with undifferentiated arthritis, 9 with spondylarthritis,
4 with inflammatory osteoarthritis, and 3 with crystal
arthritis) to the study. The sensitivity of the CASPAR