---
title: "DC 5002 - Multi-joint arthritis (except post-traumatic and gout), 2 or more joints, as an active process"
diagnostic_code: "5002"
body_system: "Musculoskeletal System"
cfr_section: "§ 4.71a"
canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-rating-schedule/musculoskeletal/5002-multi-joint-arthritis-except-post-traumatic-and-gout-2-or"
source: "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.71a"
updated: "2026-07-21T02:08:24.043471Z"
---

# DC 5002 - Multi-joint arthritis (except post-traumatic and gout), 2 or more joints, as an active process

Rated under § 4.71a. Body system: Musculoskeletal System.

## Rating criteria

| Rating | Criteria |
| --- | --- |
| 100% | With constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement, totally incapacitating |
| 60% | Less than criteria for 100% but with weight loss and anemia productive of severe impairment of health or severely incapacitating exacerbations occurring 4 or more times a year or a lesser number over prolonged periods |
| 40% | Symptom combinations productive of definite impairment of health objectively supported by examination findings or incapacitating exacerbations occurring 3 or more times a year |
| 20% | One or two exacerbations a year in a well-established diagnosis |

## Notes

- Note (1): Examples of conditions rated using this diagnostic code include, but are not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and spondyloarthropathies.
- Note (2): For chronic residuals, rate under diagnostic code 5003.
- Note (3): The ratings for the active process will not be combined with the residual ratings for limitation of motion, ankylosis, or diagnostic code 5003. Instead, assign the higher evaluation.

# Multi-Joint Arthritis (Active Process) — VA Diagnostic Code 5002

**Understanding VA disability ratings for inflammatory arthritis affecting two or more joints**

*Musculoskeletal System · 38 CFR § 4.71a · Diagnostic Code 5002*

---

## What This Condition Is

Diagnostic Code 5002 covers **multi-joint arthritis affecting 2 or more joints as an active process** — meaning ongoing, active disease rather than the lasting effects left behind after the disease quiets down. This code applies to inflammatory forms of arthritis, but specifically **excludes post-traumatic arthritis and gout**.

According to the VA's notes, examples of conditions rated under this code include (but are not limited to):

- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Spondyloarthropathies

This code addresses the **active disease process**. For chronic residuals (the lasting effects that remain), the VA rates under Diagnostic Code 5003.

---

## The Rating Levels

The VA assigns one of the following disability percentages based on how the active disease affects your health and daily functioning:

### 100%
Awarded **with constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement, totally incapacitating**.

### 60%
Awarded when the condition is **less than the criteria for 100%, but with weight loss and anemia productive of severe impairment of health, or severely incapacitating exacerbations occurring 4 or more times a year — or a lesser number over prolonged periods**.

### 40%
Awarded for **symptom combinations productive of definite impairment of health, objectively supported by examination findings, or incapacitating exacerbations occurring 3 or more times a year**.

### 20%
Awarded for **one or two exacerbations a year in a well-established diagnosis**.

---

## What the VA Looks For

When rating under Diagnostic Code 5002, the VA focuses on the **active disease process** and considers factors such as:

- **Constitutional manifestations** tied to active joint involvement and whether they are totally incapacitating (relevant at the 100% level)
- **Weight loss and anemia** and their effect on your overall health
- **The severity and frequency of exacerbations** — for example, how many severely incapacitating or incapacitating flare-ups occur per year, or whether a lesser number occurs over prolonged periods
- **Impairment of health**, and whether it is objectively supported by examination findings
- A **well-established diagnosis**, particularly at the lower rating level

### Important Notes From the Rating Schedule

- **Chronic residuals** (the lasting effects that remain after the active process) are rated separately under Diagnostic Code 5003.
- The ratings for the **active process are not combined** with residual ratings for limitation of motion, ankylosis, or Diagnostic Code 5003. Instead, the VA assigns the **higher evaluation** of the two.

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*This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5002. Individual ratings depend on your specific medical evidence and examination findings.*

Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.71a