EVALUATION OF THE EUROPEAN-SPONDYLARTHROPATHY-STUDY-GROUP PRELIMINARY CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA IN ALASKAN ESKIMO POPULATIONS

Objective. To evaluate the preliminary classification criteria proposed by the European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) in Alaskan Eskimo populations. Methods. We examined, interviewed, and reviewed the records of 104 Eskimo patients with spondylarthropathy and 75 with other rheumatic disorders, and evaluated them according to the proposed criteria. Results. We found an overall sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 89.3%, which is similar to the reported values in European populations. Conclusion. The ESSG criteria performed well in a population very different from that in which they were developed, and deserve further evaluation as a much-needed and useful epidemiologic tool.