Re: The results Are in - RA Factor is 61 from 36.5 tha...

[Guest guest]

A really good source for questions about what different medical terminology and test results mean is Webmd.com.

They have good straight forward answers.

Here is part of what they say about RF factor

Rheumatoid Factor (RF)

Rheumatoid factor (RF) blood test measures the amount of the RF antibody present in most people with rheumatoid arthritis. Normally antibodies are produced by the immune system to help destroy and eliminate invading bacteria and viruses that can cause disease. However, RF is an antibody that can attach to normal body tissue, resulting in damage.

A high level of rheumatoid factor can be caused by several autoimmune diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis) and some severe infections. Occasionally an elevated level of RF is present in healthy people.

High values

Although rheumatoid arthritis is the most common reason for a rheumatoid factor (RF) level greater than 23 and a titer greater than 1 to 20, there are other reasons for a positive test. The most common are systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma, Sjögren's syndrome, and vasculitis. Less common conditions with high RF values include tuberculosis, mononucleosis, syphilis, leukemia, cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, infection of a heart valve (endocarditis), sarcoidosis, and some infections caused by a virus or parasite (such as malaria).

What Affects the Test

Factors that can interfere with your test and the accuracy of the results include:

Blood that is very high in fats, which may cause a falsely high rheumatoid factor (RF) result. Age. About 5% to 10% of people over age 65 have an elevated RF level.

What To Think About

About 3% of people without rheumatoid arthritis have a high RF level. Of these people, only about 5% will later develop rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, about 25% of people with rheumatoid arthritis do not have a high RF level. A health professional always uses the results of an RF test along with information gained from a medical history and physical examination before diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. Older adults who do not have rheumatoid arthritis occasionally have a mildly elevated level of RF. Therefore, a slightly high RF level becomes less meaningful as a person becomes older. Some people have rheumatoid arthritis and have a normal level of RF. The RF test may need to be repeated at a later date if rheumatoid arthritis is suspected and the RF level was normal in an initial test. The absence of an elevated RF level does not exclude a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The RF level can also be measured in fluid from a joint (synovial fluid). However, this is rarely done. RF is present in only 30% of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. See what's free at AOL.com.