Rheumatoid Factor

Overview:

Rheumatoid factor is an antibody directed against part of the body's own antibodies. It is present in a majority of people with rheumatoid arthritis, which is why it has long been used in assessing joint symptoms. Its weakness is specificity: it also appears in Sjogren's syndrome, chronic infections including hepatitis C, liver disease, and in a proportion of healthy people, with the likelihood rising with age. A positive result therefore supports but does not establish a diagnosis, and a negative result does not exclude rheumatoid arthritis. It is usually interpreted alongside anti-CCP, which is considerably more specific.

Categories:

Autoimmune, Immune

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker