Computer-Aided Diagnostic Decision-Making for Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases occupy a special position in the field of the internal medicine. Most rheumatic diseases pass for a long time without endangering life, however they often lead to disability. This fact classifies rheumatic diseases as diseases with significant social and economic consequences. Moreover, the diagnosis of rheumatic disease is not straightforward even in typical cases of the disease. Especially at the beginning of the disease the symptoms examined are often far from specific. Therefore, a great effort in rheumatology has been made to establish diagnostic criteria for main rheumatic diseases on the basis of population studies and clinical research of their natural history. Useful diagnostic criteria for rheumatic fever are those originally formulated by Jones (1944). The diagnostic criteria for rheumatic arthritis suggested by the American Rheumatism Association in 1950 were finally modified by the New York Symposium in the form now used. Similarly the diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis were finally modified and the s.c. preliminary diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus were proposed by American Rheumatism Association.