Classification criteria for primary Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) have been approved by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), validating an international set of classification criteria for SS using standards set by both organizations. Those criteria can now be found in the 2016 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria for Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Consensus and Data-Driven Methodology Involving Three International Patient Cohorts, which was published in the Oct. 27 online edition of Arthritis & Rheumatology, as well as Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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The new classification criteria are based on the weighted sum of five items, which reflect the higher importance of the immunologic abnormalities granted by the majority of clinician experts:
- Anti-SSA(Ro) antibody positivity and focal lymphocytic sialadenitis with a focus score of ≥1 foci/mm2, each scoring 3;
- An abnormal ocular staining score of ≥5 (or a van Bijsterveld score ≥4);
- A Schirmer test of ≤5 mm/5 minutes; and
- An unstimulated salivary flow rate of ≤0.1 mL/minute, each scoring 1.
Individuals who meet eligibility criteria and who have a total score of ≥4 for the items above meet the criteria for SS.
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