Guidelines for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

Description of the evidence collection method A review of the scientific literature was performed with the Medline database. The search for evidence was based on actual clinical scenarios and used the following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms: Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Diagnosis (Delayed Diagnosis OR Delay OR Early Rheumatoid Arthritis OR VERA), Prognosis, Criteria (American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism OR ACR/EULAR OR classification), Comparative Study, Smoking (OR tobacco use disorder), Rheumatoid Factor, Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (or anti-CCP), HLA-DRB1 OR PTPN22 OR EPITOPE, extra-articular OR extraarticular OR systemic OR ExRA, Disease Progression, Radiography OR X RAY, ULTRASONOGRAPHY, and MAGNETIC RESONANCE Grades of recommendation and strength of evidence A: A Most consistent experimental and observational studies. B: B Less consistent experimental and observational studies. C: C Case reports (uncontrolled studies). D: D Opinion that is not substantiated by critical evaluation, based on consensus, physiological studies or animal models. Objective To formulate guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Brazil, with a focus on diagnosis. The aim of the present document is to summarise the current position of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology on this topic to orient Brazilian doctors, particularly rheumatologists, to RA diagnosis in our country.