Pain alone does not meet this requirement. A clinician needs to confirm true joint inflammation (synovitis).
Rheumatoid arthritis · Dropdown assessment
Understand your RA classification score.
This educational estimator uses the 2010 ACR/EULAR point system. Answer the two clinical checks, then choose one option in each scoring section.
Prefer the detailed calculator? Open it here →Other causes, such as infection, gout, lupus or psoriatic arthritis, must be considered before interpreting this score.
Use the clinician's assessment of tender or swollen joints. Small joints include wrists, knuckles, middle finger joints, thumb end joints and the 2nd–5th toe-base joints; do not count finger end joints, the thumb base or the big-toe base.
Use RF and anti-CCP/ACPA reports. Low positive is above the laboratory upper limit and up to 3 times that limit; high positive is more than 3 times the upper limit. If the reports are unclear, choose not sure.
Compare ESR and CRP with the reference range on your reports. At least one result is needed; use an abnormal result if either is raised.
How long have the joints currently involved had symptoms such as pain, swelling or tenderness?
For education, not self-diagnosis. This is not a disease-activity score. Do not start, stop or change medicines based on the result.
Clinical reference: 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria.