Validation of the Thai version of a screening questionnaire for detection of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objective: The present study was performed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the translation questionnaire for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Thai speaking populations. Material and Method: The 10-item questionnaire was applied to out-patients at the rheumatology clinic of the Chiang Mai University Hospital. One hundred and thirty-nine SLE, 109 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and 35 Scleroderma (Scl) patients, as well as 88 Healthy Controls (HC) were enrolled into the present study. Results: All subjects completed the questionnaire within 2 minutes. A positive response to three or more questions of the questionnaire gave a sensitivity and specificity of 92.81% and 76.39%, respectively, and was comparable to the original version. Conclusion: This Thai-version of the screening questionnaire should be applied in the general population to determine the prevalence of SLE.