Comment: Why these updates are needed
April Jorge, MD, a rheumatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and moderator of the session on the draft APS criteria, explained why these updated criteria are needed. “It’s very important to get the updated criteria because, as the speakers mentioned, the prior Sapporo criteria were limited to just large-vessel venous thrombosis or pregnancy complications, and so that makes it difficult to study the disease in other manifestations, such as kidney manifestations, if they’re not part of the criteria.”
She added, “I think there was a need for clear classification criteria that was thought to be highly specific for the disease so that future studies can be done in this population.”
Dr. Jorge called the 99% specificity described in the analysis “impressive” and “promising.”
Dr. Barbhaiya and Dr. Zuily have no relevant disclosures. Dr. Erkan disclosed relationships with Aurinia, Eli Lilly, Exagen, and GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Jorge has no relevant disclosures.