We thank Zhou et al for their interest in our manuscript and their insightful comments.1 In figure 4 of our manuscript (Diagnostic approach to a patient with suspected systemic lupus erythematosus and the use of classification criteria to aid clinical diagnosis), we propose an algorithm to aid clinical diagnosis, especially in patients not fulfilling the classification criteria.2 As opposed to classification, diagnosis by definition may include the notion of probability (ie, possible systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)). Moreover, as …