Can you have lupus and RA together?

May 10, 2002

" It is not uncommon for a lupus patient to have a positive rheumatoid

factor (as well as *usual* lupus markers such as ANA). And it's not

uncommon for someone with RA to have a positive ANA. So if you have both

positive, what do you have? We believe that if a patient has a high ANA

and then develops a positive RF, you're probably looking at some disease

other than RA. If a person with a positive RF then develops a positive

ANA...they might have RA, but we'd still want to rule out other

connective tissue diseases (CTDs).

I'm sure this is a little confusing. Let me try to explain it

differently. A person with multiple antibodies (which includes ANA, and

sometimes RF), and specific symptoms, can be said to have lupus. Lupus

can affect the joints or almost any organ system in the body (and often

does). In RA, a person usually has a positive RF, and sometimes a

positive ANA. RA focuses on the joints (although there can be systemic

problems). A patient with RA does not usually have multiple antibodies,

beyond RF and ANA.

So can a person have both? It's possible, but in most cases, there are

usually good reasons to diagnose one or the other. It would be very hard

to say a person has both diseases, because lupus can cause all of the

symptoms and signs in RA (plus many more) - while RA cannot cause all of

the symptoms and signs in lupus. "

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