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Blood Tests For Rheumatoid Arthritis
RA is an autoimmune disease. Several blood tests can detect immune system changes or antibodies that may attack the joints and other organs. Other tests are used to measure the presence and degree of inflammation.
For blood tests, your doctor will draw a small sample from a vein. The sample is then sent to a lab for testing. Theres no single test to confirm RA, so your doctor may order multiple tests.
Have You Had The Following Laboratory Tests Performed To Assess The Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Factor . Is it positive or negative?
- Anti-citrullinated protein antibody . Is it positive or negative?
- Are the markers of inflammation, ESR and/or CRP in the blood elevated?
The classification criteria used worldwide to help in classifying an arthritis as RA is the 2010 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria.
I present this here to help you screen for rheumatoid & to help determine the likelihood of having RA.
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Diagnosis And Screening For Rheumatoid Arthritis
One of the most important parts of managing RA is making a diagnosis early, and getting on appropriate treatment. Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis can prove to be a difficult task for rheumatologists and doctors, particularly in its early stages. Thatâs because the early symptoms and signs of RA resemble those of a variety of other conditions and disorders – and symptoms may not even be present every day. For example, if you experience pain and morning stiffness in symmetrical joints, you may have rheumatoid arthritis. However, other conditions such as a very common form of arthritis called âosteoarthritisâ, or forms of arthritis such as psoriatic arthritis and gout may be present and cause similar symptoms.
Health-care providers can distinguish between forms of arthritis based on your symptoms as well as joint examination findings. However, often tests including blood tests and imaging tests need to be done to help identify if RA is present.
RA Imaging Tests
Your health-care provider may recommend certain imaging tests to check for joint damage. These tests can help determine:
- If joint symptoms are caused by inflammation that is characteristic of RA
- If your joints have been damaged in a pattern that suggests that RA is the cause
- The severity of the joint damage
However, many times imaging tests are not enough to determine if RA is present – especially in early RA when there might not be much joint inflammation or damage. Thatâs where blood tests come in handy.
Blood And Pathology Tests For Arthritis
Before any tests are done, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms and will often examine you for signs of arthritis or other autoimmune features. Then tests may be done.
Your symptoms and signs on physical examination are more important for making a diagnosis than the results of the tests.
What are blood tests and pathology tests used for?
- Confirming a diagnosis of arthritis or autoimmune disorder
- Monitoring disease activity and response to treatment
- Checking for side effects from medicines
Are all types of arthritis diagnosed by blood tests?
Most forms of arthritis can be diagnosed by blood tests. The doctor may use blood tests to provide support for the diagnosis made on the symptoms and signs, or to help rule out other types of arthritis or conditions that cause similar symptoms. No blood or pathology tests may be required to diagnose some conditions such as osteoarthritis or chronic back pain.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood Tests
The rheumatoid arthritis blood tests that doctors perform to help diagnose the disease include:
- Rheumatoid factor
- C-Reactive Protein
- Antinuclear Antibody
None of these tests can singularly conclude that a patient has rheumatoid arthritis. Rather, doctors look at the combined results from all, alongside a number of other criteria including physical symptoms and genetics, in order to reach a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.
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Ra Blood Tests: What Lab Tests Show Rheumatoid Arthritis
To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis there is no one test that can on its own reach a diagnosis. Instead, there are a number of criteria that must be established in order to reach a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.
As part of the criteria for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, doctors will order multiple blood tests. These blood tests look for specific indicators that support the possibility that the patient could have rheumatoid arthritis.
What To Expect During The Tests
You usually do not need to do anything before a blood test for RA, fasting is not required. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications that may affect your tests.
Wear a garment that allows access to your elbow area for the blood draw. Bring your identification. The healthcare professional drawing the blood will ensure your identification and label the blood draw sample tubes.
A tourniquet will be placed on your arm, the vein area sanitized, and a needle will be used to collect the blood into one or more vials.
After drawing the blood, the site will be bandaged. You should not have any side effects and usually do not need to take any precautions after the test.
These tests are sent to the lab rather than being done in the clinic as a rapid test. Your results will not be available immediately but will be reported to your healthcare provider in hours to a day or more.
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What Is Involved In Reviewing Your Medical History And Your Current Symptoms
When reviewing your medical history, your healthcare provider may ask the following questions:
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Have you had any illnesses or injuries that may explain the pain?
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Is there a family history of arthritis or other rheumatic diseases?
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What medication are you currently taking?
Your healthcare provider may also ask:
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What symptoms are you having? For example, pain, stiffness, difficulty with movement, or swelling.
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About your pain:
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What makes it worse?
How The Disease And Disease Remission Are Confirmed
Rheumatoid arthritis is a difficult disease for healthcare providers to diagnose, especially in its early stages, because the signs and symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions. So far, healthcare providers don’t have a single test that definitively diagnoses RA, so they rely a physical exam, family medical history, several blood tests, and imaging such as X-rays.
Rheumatoid arthritis differs from osteoarthritis in that it is an autoimmune disorder. That means the immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells and tissues, primarily, in RA, the cells and tissues of the joints.
Most autoimmune diseases are hard to diagnose, but getting it right is important because it helps determine the appropriate course of treatment.
Verywell
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Quick Answers For Clinicians
The symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis are often nonspecific. Therefore, multiple conditions must be considered in the differential diagnosis of RA. Some of these conditions are , gout, and systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, and Sjögren syndrome. Careful evaluation is necessary for proper diagnosis and medical management of these conditions.
Autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor , anticitrullinated protein antibodies , and anticarbamylated protein antibodies are a distinctive feature of rheumatoid arthritis . Additionally, their presence often precedes the onset of disease symptoms, making them useful tests for RA diagnosis. Autoantibody testing may also be useful in predicting the severity of disease course. As such, autoantibody testing leads to more accurate diagnosis and prognosis and often contributes to better disease management.
Theyll Order Imaging Tests
Rheumatoid arthritis impacts the lining of joints, which leads to damage of joint tissue. Your doctor may order X-rays to check for joint damage caused by RA . Sometimes, doctors order CT scans, ultrasounds or even MRIs as well. X-rays in early stages may not show the changes, caused by RA, Dr. Khan says. Ultrasound and MRI give far more information about the joint lining and whether or not the tissues around the joints are inflamed.
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Treatment Of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis
Just like seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis cannot be reversed.
Treatment of this disorder is focused on alleviating pain and discomfort associated with inflammation around the body. Treatment can also slow the progression of this disease, or stop the progression altogether.
Its important to listen to your body and be aware of the signs and symptoms of RA, because the earlier we can detect this disorder, the greater our chances are of slowing its progression. Seronegative RA causes serious damage to the joints and bones because the body attacks the synovial tissues that cushion the bones. When the synovial tissue and supporting cartilage deteriorate, the bones no longer have the padding they need, and they start to rub against each other, which deteriorates the bones over time.
Medications
The symptoms of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with NSAIDs medications, like ibuprofen. NSAIDs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation and alleviate pain associated with joint swelling. These medications can increase range of motion, as they reduce the swelling that causes stiffness and inhibits movement.
Other medications, specifically disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs , can be taken to slow joint damage caused by seronegative RA. Sulfasalazine is a common DMARD used to slow the progression of seronegative RA and psoriatic arthritis.
Intra-articular Injections
Herbal Remedies
Therapy
Surgery
The Importance Of Early Diagnosis Of Ra
Identification of RA at initial presentation and treatment at earlier stage can affect disease course, prevent the development of joint erosions or retard progression of erosive disease . Early diagnosis and treatment may affect disease outcomes even to a remission state . Recognizing early RA from non-RA at the onset of disease is not straightforward but there is limitation in the use of the American College of Rheumatology revised criteria for early diagnosis. Since due to inadequate clinical or laboratory evidences at onset of arthritis, this criteria is not sensitive enough to identify early RA .
In a study of Frech cohort, only 50.9% of RA satisfied 1987 ACR revised criteria for diagnosis of RA in 1 year . However, in the absence of treatment inflammation will lead to articular damages and bone erosion particularly within the first two years of disease onset . Regarding the current concept of “window of opportunity”, early diagnosis of RA is essential for initiation of treatment, otherwise, disease will progress to more severe forms requiring more aggressive therapy .
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Anticitrullinated Protein Antibody Test
An anti-CCP test, also known as ACPA, tests for an antibody associated with RA.
A research review from 2015 found that this test may identify people who are more likely to develop severe and irreversible damage due to RA.
If you test positive for anti-CCP antibodies, theres a good chance you have RA. A positive test also indicates that RA is likely to progress more rapidly.
People without RA almost never test positive for anti-CCP. However, people with RA may test negative for anti-CCP.
To confirm RA, your doctor will look at this test result in combination with other tests and clinical findings.
Adapted From A Presentation At The Early Ra Support And Education Program At Hospital For Special Surgery
is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints, but can affect other parts of the body. Diagnosing and managing RA involves clinical evaluation by a rheumatologist, as well as several different laboratory tests that require blood work. The results of these tests may be used in two ways:
- To confirm the presence of the RA.
- To determine how active the disease is.
The doctor and healthcare team use the results of these tests to guide treatment options for each patient. In turn, understanding how the results of blood tests used to monitor RA and its treatment can help patients better able to manage their RA.
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Making A Diagnosis Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Diagnosis of RA is not straight forward as there is no individual test for RA. A diagnosis tends to be made by a consultant rheumatologist on the basis of tests, examination and ruling out other possible causes for symptoms.
Sometimes it is clear from symptoms and initial blood tests that someone has rheumatoid arthritis, but not always. Specialist criteria have been developed jointly by American and European experts to try to help make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in people presenting with new-onset swollen, painful joints with no obvious cause . These should be used with care though as people with osteoarthritis or a crystal arthritis could meet the criteria and end up being incorrectly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which could have significant consequences for treatment. They have also been developed to classify, not diagnose, rheumatoid arthritis and so should not be used to decide who gets referred.
As already mentioned above, there are a number of other conditions that can cause very similar symptoms to rheumatoid arthritis and your GP will have to consider these when assessing each case.
Prediction Of Early Ra
A patient with inflammatory arthritis may pass several stages from the onset of arthritis to a specific form of rheumatic diseases such as RA . The first phase is the period leading up to the onset of arthritis .The second is the period during which persistence or remission is determined. The third and the fourth phases are the evolution into specific form of inflammatory arthritis and the outcome/severity of that arthritis. In some patients, these four phases follow in rapid sequences whereas in other patients the time course may prolong and continue for several months or years. Different genetic backgrounds and environmental factors or treatment can affect the various evolutionary phases of arthritis and alter the natural history of initial inflammatory arthritis .
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Assessing Your Physical Ability
If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, your specialist will do an assessment to see how well you’re coping with everyday tasks.
You may be asked to fill in a questionnaire on how well you can do things like dress, walk and eat, and how good your grip strength is.
This assessment may be repeated after your treatment, to see if you have made any improvements.
Further information
How Is Ra Diagnosed
RA is diagnosed by reviewing symptoms, conducting a physical examination, and doing X-rays and lab tests. Its best to diagnose RA earlywithin 6 months of the onset of symptomsso that people with the disease can begin treatment to slow or stop disease progression . Diagnosis and effective treatments, particularly treatment to suppress or control inflammation, can help reduce the damaging effects of RA.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis Initial Diagnosis
There is no single test that can definitively diagnose RA.
As with other illnesses, diagnosis of RA typically begins with your doctor getting your medical history and conducting a physical exam.
You doctor will begin by asking questions about the symptoms you’re experiencing, including when and how they occur and how they’ve changed over time . One specific symptom they will ask about is morning joint stiffness that lasts for at least 30 minutes and occurs in the peripheral joints rather than the lower back a common RA symptom.
The other main symptom is swelling of the joints that lasts for at least six weeks, particularly if the swelling occurs on the same joints on both sides of the body. Swelling that occurs for less than six weeks could be a sign of multiple different things an example is acute viral polyarthritis, an inflammation of the joints caused by a virus.
Arthritis Care & ResearchAutoimmunity Reviews
What Conditions May Be Confused With Ra
Fibromyalgia
People with this condition often feel pain all over, in all their muscles and joints, and have multiple tender points when examined. They will also often have a degree of early morning stiffness. Poor unrestorative sleep is often present, with associated fatigue and low mood, and often there are associated symptoms of headaches and irritable bowels and bladder. Investigations tend to be normal. It is important to distinguish this condition from rheumatoid arthritis as their management is very different, although sometimes both conditions are present.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
This condition causes pain and stiffness of the shoulders and thighs and tends to occur in people over 65 years of age. It is more common in females. Sometimes elderly people with RA present with similar symptoms. PMR is treated by a course of steroid tablets where the dosage is gradually reduced over months and can generally be stopped after about 18 months 2 years. In people with RA presenting with PMR type symptoms, the correct diagnosis of RA usually becomes apparent when the patient is unable to reduce the steroid dosage below 10mg.
Post-viral arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Crystal Arthritis
Other types of inflammatory arthritis
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Other Autoantibodies In Ra
RF and anti-CCP are the main autoantibody tests that are used in RA. However, there are several others including antibodies to carbamylated proteins , anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin and several others. In addition, when an individual initially develops RA, their health care provider may perform other tests that can be related to other autoimmune conditions that can be similar to RA. These tests include anti-nuclear antibodies and several others. If you have abnormalities of these other tests, please ask your health-care provider for more information.