The Rheumatoid Factor Test

The rheumatoid factor blood test (RF) helps diagnose Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It measures rheumatoid factor, a chemical in the blood of many, but not all, people with RA. By itself, it does NOT show whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or not.
The Rheumatoid Factor Test gives your doctor more information to consider when diagnosing your condition, it does not necessarily mean you have RA. It is used along with your physical exam, other tests, and your symptoms to help diagnose your condition.  

People with other autoimmune conditions, such as lupus and Sjogren's syndrome, can also have a positive Rheumatoid Factor. So can people with infections such as hepatitis and mononucleosis. 

False positives occur in 5% of healthy individuals and in up to 20% of people over 65 years of age. False positives also occur in inflammatory condition such as Sjögren's Syndrome, Lupus and Systemic Sclerosis.

Some healthy people can have rheumatoid factor in their blood too. Also some people with RA don’t have a positive RA result. That’s why this test will not,

The higher the level in rheumatoid disease the worse the joint destruction and the greater the chance of systemic involvement.

What Abnormal Results Mean

An abnormal result means the test is positive, which means higher levels of rheumatoid factor have been detected in your blood. The higher the level, the more likely one of these conditions is present. There are also other tests for these disorders that help make the diagnosis.
People with the following diseases may also have high levels of rheumatoid factor:

• Rheumatoid arthritis 
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
• Sjögren's Syndrome 
• Scleroderma
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Adult Still's disease
• Dermatomyositis
• Sarcoidosis
• Felty's syndrome
• Systemic sclerosis 
• Infective endocarditis.
• Infectious mononucleosis.
• Hepatitis.
• Tuberculosis.
• Syphilis.
• HIV.
• Influenza.
• Malignancy.
• Leukaemia.

Other blood tests for rheumatoid arthritis:

• erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• C-reactive protein (CRP)
• anti-CCP (anit-cyclic citrullinated peptide) 

SOURCES:

1. Wilson D; Rheumatoid factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Can Family Physician. 
2. Longmore M, Wilkinson IB & Rajagopalan SR; Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine, 2004
3. MedlinePlus 
4. WebMD

What is polyarthritis?

QUICK FACTS ABOUT POLYARTHRITIS: 

• It is any type of arthritis which involves 5 or more joints simultaneously
•  It is usually associated with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, amyloidosis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus erythematosus.
• It may be experienced at any age
• It is found in both men and women
• It can also be caused by infection with an alphavirus such as chikungunya virus and Ross River virus. This condition is termed alphavirus polyarthritis syndrome.
  

Polyarthritis for medical professionals:

MEDICAL ARTICLE: Inflammatory Polyarthritis in the Older Adult

Approach To A Patient With Polyarthritis from Pramod Mahender

Preventing rheumatoid arthritis

 

Some people have recently asked if rheumatoid arthritis can be prevented. Until the cause is understood it may be difficult to stop it.  Some factors do increase your risk of getting it and they include your gender, genetics and age but none of these factors can be controlled. Environmental factors are also thought to be a factor in the development of RA and I suppose they can be controlled to some degree.
      
Genetics certainly is a complex area and the genetics of rheumatoid arthritis are complex. "The genetic component of RA is widely investigated: the strongest gene association is considered to be the one with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region, particularly the HLA-DRB1 genes accounting for about two-thirds of the genetics of RA." Arthritis research & therapy

There is one thing that has been shown to increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, that can be controlled, and that is smoking.  Recently, it has been reported that smoking is involved in the development of many autoimmune diseases such as RA,  Lupus, Systemic sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease.

RESOURCES: Rheumatoid arthritis and smoking: putting the pieces together

Zsuzsanna Baka, Edit Buzás and György Nagy

Rheumatoid Arthritis diagram of joints

Refined Sugars and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Excessive consumption of refined sugars, including white sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup, may increase the acidity of the body. Some natural health practitioners have recommended that refined sugar be avoided in cases of inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis. Substitution with natural sugar alternatives such as stevia, agave nectar, fruit juice concentrates and honey may help to reduce inflammatory processes. An overall reduction of any type of sugar can also be recommended to avoid rapid increases in blood sugar, which may interfere with inflammatory processes.

Many people feel that their pain is reduced if they cut out sugar altogether. Have you experimented with this? I found it difficult to do at first but well worth the reduction in pain especially in my fingers, wrists and ankles. I recommend the following program which gives you online support...


                                                  

Risk of getting Rheumatoid Arthritis involves gene regulators

The kind of DNA once known as “junk” may influence people’s risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study that offers the latest look at the complex system of switches that turn disease genes on.

Using genetic information from more than 300 people with rheumatoid arthritis and another 300 without, the researchers found 10 areas that appeared to influence risk, according to the research published yesterday in the journal Nature Biotechnology. 

Read full story at Bloomberg

Don't want to freak you out about Rheumatiod Arthritis but...

Pacing and chronic pain

Pacing is learning to find the right balance between spending time on an activity without pushing yourself so that it significantly worsens your pain. Pacing is the opposite to just pushing through and finishing an activity and then being in so much pain the next day that you cannot cope with anything at all. It is about breaking activities up into small increments. It is about definately stopping when you start to feel pain or increased pain, depending on your situation. Pacing can help prevent flare ups and keep you mobile. Some people who are trying to pace themselves find it useful to set a time limit and also a rest time or a change of activity.

Here is a site that has helpful worksheets that can help you with pacing: PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

Pacing: Balancing activity and rest  Download from Medschoolforyou.com

Pacing instructions with worked examples  Download from Cambridge Univeristy Hospital

Pain management diary  Download from livingcbt.com
The Pain Toolkit -  for people who live with persistent pain  Download from paintoolkit.org

More information on arthritis

For more information on arthritis and related conditions, contact any of the following organizations:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)Information ClearinghouseNational Institutes of Health
1 AMS CircleBethesda, MD.
Email: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov/
The NIAMS, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), leads the Federal Government research effort in arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases in the United States. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a public service sponsored by the NIAMS.

Arthritis Foundation
P.O. Box 7669 Atlanta, GA .
Website: http://www.arthritis.org/
The Arthritis Foundation is the major voluntary organization devoted to supporting arthritis research and providing education and other services to people with arthritis. This foundation publishes free pamphlets on arthritis, as well as arthritis self-help books in English and Spanish.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
P.O. Box 2058 Des Plaines, IL.
Email: pemr@aaos.org
Website: http://www.aaos.org/
The academy provides education and self-help services for orthopaedic surgeons (doctors) and other health providers. It supports improved patient care and informs the public about the science of orthopaedics (bone and joint health).

American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
1800 Century Place, Suite 250Atlanta, GA .
Website: http://www.rheumatology.org/
This group provides referrals to doctors and health professionals who work on arthritis, rheumatic diseases, and related conditions. It also provides educational materials and guidelines.

Everyday coping with arthritis and chronic pain:pacing

This is not an illness that is managed easily for me. There is no magic pill, no prescription for complete healing. There are ways to manage it and gain some of your old life and laughter back. I can't tell you how to do it. I can only tell you what works for me. I still have my bad days, but some days, most days, now are good.
I have taken on board a lot of information from many books, blogs and specialists but implementing them is another thing. Probably the thing that has helped me most (besides pain killers) is pacing myself and by that I mean no matter what I am doing, if I feel pain I stop and change to a different activity. This means the dishwasher may be half unpacked on the washing not hung out but I will come back to it later. It also means, for me, taking frequent short rests flat on my back.
Ha Ha! my wrists are starting to ache right now so I will finish this post later...maybe.

You Can Feel Better!

Arthritis can damage your joints, internal organs, and skin.
There are things you can do to keep the damage from getting worse. They might also make you feel better:

• Try to keep your weight down. Too much weight can make your knees and hips hurt.
• Exercise. Moving all of your joints will help you. The doctor or nurse can show you how to move more easily. Going for a walk every day will help, too.
• Take your medicines when and how you are supposed to. They can help reduce pain and stiffness.
• Try taking a warm shower in the morning.
• See your doctor regularly.




• Seek information that can help you.

Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week

A U.S. Bone and Joint Decade Initiative that focusses on arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis and trauma. Find out more what is happening this year.
Did you know that there are more than 100 types of arthritis? Common arthritis symptoms of inflammation, pain, and stiffness are usually caused by degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis). Other types of arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis and gout. No matter which type of arthritis you have, you need an accurate diagnosis before your doctor can recommend a program for treatment. WebMD Arthritis and Joint Center

Here are some bone and joint awareness articles:

 Types of Arthritis

 Coping With Arthritis Pain, Day by Day

 Personal Stories of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis resource sites available

Other causes of joint pain

Information on carpal tunnel syndrome

Caregiving After Joint Replacement Surgery

Heritable Disorders of ConnectiveTissue

Rare Bone Disease Patient Network

PB&J - Protect Your Bones and Joints-

Is Hip Replacement Surgery Right for Me?

Joint Pain Health Condition Information

Managing Chronic Pain

Staying Active After Joint Replacement Surgery

Take Care of Your Bones

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Unsolicited emails

I get 15 emails a day from this blog all from people selling me drugs for Arthritis and other wonder cures. If they worked they would not have to do the hard sell as people would know about them and take them. ( I don't even know how they are getting my email!) I have had to change the settings on leaving a comment here to see if this helps.
Wishing you a pain free day.

Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables may be linked to a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients - both vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium. They are also high in bioflavonoids which have anti-inflammatory actions. 

Researchers have shown that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of some degenerative diseases including arthritis and cause improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

In some Mediterranean countries, such as Greece,where the diet is large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and fish, this Mediterranean-type diet seems to protect against rheumatoid arthritis.

  

What food is in Mediterranean diet? at help immune

RESOURCES FOR THIS ARTICLE: 

Review: Methods used to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity in foods and biological systems 

Review of methods to determine chain-breaking antioxidant activity in food 

Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity 

Omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease

Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Omega-3 fatty acids are the talk of the town as they seem to  have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. They contain EPA and DHA which are thought to decrease inflammation. Some studies show a positive anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 fatty acids with rheumatoid arthritis.

Foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids are cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, and trout. Some plant foods are also sources of omega-3 such as walnuts, tofu and flaxseed.


The American College of Rheumatology, says some people with rheumatoid arthritis have improvement in pain when taking marine omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Relief is achieved after taking the supplements for weeks, not straight away. Studies conclude that some people have such decreased symptoms that they take less anti-inflammatory drugs.

What If I Still Hurt? with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sometimes you might still have pain after using your medicine. Here are some things to try:

• Take a warm shower.
• Do some gentle stretching exercises.
• Use an ice pack on the sore area.
• Rest the sore joint.

If you still hurt after using your medicine correctly and doing one or more of these things, call your doctor. Another kind of medicine might work better for you. Some people can also benefit from surgery, such as joint replacement.

Joints in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease, mainly affecting joints and

A tendon is a band of fibrous tissue that connects the muscle to bone.

Most people with RA have inflammation in the tendons around the joints, especially in the hand.

Nodules may form on the tendons, or the tendon sheath, that surrounds the tendon, may become inflammed.

Why are the tendons affected in RA? Abnormal synovial cells invade and erode, cartilage and bone within the joint. Surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons are weakened.

Abnormal immune response causes the body to produce antibodies to its own tissues. The antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis, known as rheumatoid factors, are antibodies against IgG.

Just some of the great Arthritis resource sites available

American College of Rheumatology
John Hopkins Arthritis Centre
The Arthritis Society
Arthritis Foundation
Arthritis.About.Com
Arthritis Today
All About Arthritis
Canadian Arthritis Network
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)
Arthritis Community Research Evaluation Unit (ACREU)
Canadian Rheumatology Association
My RA Central
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

How Should I Use Arthritis Medicine?

Before you leave the doctor’s office, make sure you ask about the best way to take the medicine the doctor prescribes. For example, you may need to take some medicines with milk, or you may need to eat something just before or after taking them, to make sure they don’t upset your stomach.

You should also ask how often to take the medicine or to put cream on the spots that bother you. Creams might make your skin and joints feel better. Sometimes, though, they can make your skin burn or break out in a rash. If this happens, call the doctor.

How will the doctor help? re arthritic pain

After the doctor knows what kind of arthritis you have, he or she will talk with you about the best way to treat it.


The doctor may give you a prescription for medicine that will help with the pain, stiffness, and inflammation.

Health insurance or public assistance may help you pay for the medicine, doctor visits, tests, and x rays.