Guest guest Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Hi , Thanks for the info about depression med. I didn't realize that sometimes the medicine needs to change not the dosage. I will mention to my GP next time I see her. I also have a couple of questions that I am hoping you can answer. I have sreached on the internet and I guess just not the right places about RA Factor and SED Rate numbers and what they will be if you have RA etc. Like what is the lowest numbers for both of these. I am just curious. One of mine is 97 and one is 450 if i remember right. I do have it written down somewhere but not exactly sure at this moment. Thanks a bunch for any help you or anyone else can offer. Hope you and everyone has a Blessed week. Take care, Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Kat, Neither the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate) nor the rheumatoid factor (RF) yield results that are specific to rheumatoid arthritis. They are often, but not always, elevated in RA. They are usually used to support a diagnosis, and the sed rate is frequently used for monitoring disease activity after the diagnosis is established. There is no standard way of measuring sed rate or RF in the US. Procedures for determination of the results and the cutoffs for " normal " and the units with which values are reported depend on the lab. Given all of the above, from the numbers I've seen, if your sed rate is 97 mm/hr, that would be considered very high and would indicated a state of active, serious inflammation. Again, it doesn't have to be due to RA, but, if you have an RA diagnosis, the inflammation will likely be attributed to your disease. If your RF is 450 IU/ml, that would also be high. Generally speaking, high RF values are associated with more severe disease in rheumatoid arthritis. Here are a couple of links that may help: UW CME course " Laboratory Testing in the Rheumatic Diseases " : http://www.uwcme.org/site/courses/legacy/rheumlab/rafactor.php http://www.uwcme.org/site/courses/legacy/rheumlab/esr.php I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] RA Factor and SED Rate > Hi , > Thanks for the info about depression med. I didn't realize that > sometimes the medicine needs to change not the dosage. I will > mention to my GP next time I see her. > I also have a couple of questions that I am hoping you can answer. > I have sreached on the internet and I guess just not the right > places about RA Factor and SED Rate numbers and what they will be if > you have RA etc. Like what is the lowest numbers for both of these. > I am just curious. One of mine is 97 and one is 450 if i remember > right. I do have it written down somewhere but not exactly sure at > this moment. Thanks a bunch for any help you or anyone else can > offer. Hope you and everyone has a Blessed week. > Take care, > Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 In a message dated 7/13/2004 7:08:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Matsumura_Clan@... writes: If your RF is 450 IU/ml, that would also be high. Generally speaking, high RF values are associated with more severe disease in rheumatoid arthritis. Also, on a positive note, I read an article today on the american college of rheumatology site that refutes that the higher the RF is the more severe the disease is as was once thought. The current thought is perhaps shifting. There is the suggesting that this is changing and we might see research changing towards this. Just something I read earlier. Very new. Abby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Welcome to the group, Abby! I would like to see that reference from the ACR, please! I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org Re: [ ] RA Factor and SED Rate > Also, on a positive note, I read an article today on the american college of > rheumatology site that refutes that the higher the RF is the more severe the > disease is as was once thought. The current thought is perhaps shifting. There > is the suggesting that this is changing and we might see research changing > towards this. Just something I read earlier. Very new. > > Abby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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