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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) endorsed the ACR/EULAR classification criteria for ANCA-associated vasculitis (EGPA, GPA and MPA).

The classification criteria were developed and validated by an international group of medical experts over the past 11+ years through the Diagnostic and Classification Criteria in Vasculitis Study (DCVAS), which enrolled 6,991 patients from 136 international sites and 32 countries beginning in January 2011.

Aims of DCVAS

  1. To develop diagnostic criteria for the primary systemic vasculitides (EGPA, GCA, GPA, MPA, PAN, Takayasu arteritis).
  2. To create and/or update current classification criteria.

Classification criteria are used to group patients into different types of vasculitis, once a diagnosis of vasculitis has been made, and are useful for studying patients in clinical trials with similar or identical diseases.

VF Support of DCVAS

The VF helped fund DCVAS beginning in 2011 with a grant of $99,738. Joyce Kullman, Executive Director of the VF, offered, “We congratulate and thank the many researchers who worked for so many years to develop the criteria. We believe, the classification criteria, partnered with the 2021 ACR/VF Vasculitis Clinical Practice guidelines, will reduce diagnostic times and improve care for our patients.”

To view the guidelines visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35110333/