Rheumatoid factor and anti-ccp

A presentation on rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP

1. Rheumatoid Factor & anti- ccp Safdar Mohamed M1770

2. Rheumatoid Factor Rheumatoid factor (RF) is the autoantibody that was first found in rheumatoid arthritis. It is defined as an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG and different RFs can recognize different parts of the IgG-Fc. RF and IgG join to form immune complexes that contribute to the disease process. Although predominantly encountered as IgM, rheumatoid factor can be of any isotype of immunoglobulins, i.e. IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE , IgD .

3. RF Test During a rheumatoid factor test, a small sample of blood is drawn from a vein in your arm. This typically takes just a few minutes. Your blood sample is sent to a laboratory for testing. A rheumatoid factor test measures the amount of rheumatoid factor in your blood. Rheumatoid factors are proteins produced by your immune system that can attack healthy tissue in your body. High levels of rheumatoid factor in the blood are most often associated with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome. But rheumatoid factor may be detected in some healthy people, and people with autoimmune diseases sometimes have normal levels of rheumatoid factor.

4. Why is it done? A rheumatoid factor test is one of a group of blood tests primarily used to help pinpoint a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. These other tests may include: Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies C-reactive protein (CRP) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, or sed rate) The amount of rheumatoid factor in your blood may also help your doctor choose the treatment approach that will work best for your situation.

5. When to get a RF Test? You may need an RF test if you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. These include: Joint pain Joint stiffness, especially in the morning Joint swelling Fatigue Low-grade fever

6. Test Results The normal range of RF is from 0-20 IU/ml. A positive rheumatoid factor test result indicates that a high level of rheumatoid factor was detected in your blood. A higher level of rheumatoid factor in your blood is closely associated with autoimmune disease, particularly rheumatoid arthritis. But a number of other diseases and conditions can raise rheumatoid factor levels, including: Cancer Chronic infections Inflammatory lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis Mixed connective tissue disease Sjogren's syndrome Systemic lupus erythematosus Some healthy people — particularly older individuals — have positive rheumatoid factor tests, though it's not clear why. And some people who have rheumatoid arthritis will have low levels of rheumatoid factor in their blood.

7. Anti-CCP Anti-CCP is an autoantibody. This means that the patient’s immune system produces antibodies that identify the patient’s cells as foreign material and as a result, attack its own normal cells. These attacks can produce inflammatory symptoms most commonly experienced in rheumatoid arthritis.

8. Anti-CCP Test Anti-CCP is a blood test. A blood sample is drawn from the patient and analyzed in a lab. If the sample finds the presence of anti-CCP at a certain level, the result is positive. Low levels of anti-CCP can be found in the test results of certain patients but may not enough to produce a positive result. Re-testing later on may be required in patients who continue to display clinical rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

9. Results If your CCP antibody results were positive (normal range 0.2-5.2 U/mL) , it means these antibodies were found in your blood. A negative result means no CCP antibodies were found. The meaning of these results may depend on the results of a rheumatoid factor (RF) test as well as a physical exam. If you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and your results show: Positive CCP antibodies and positive RF, it likely means that you have rheumatoid arthritis. Positive CCP antibodies and negative RF, it may mean you are in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis or will develop it in the future. Negative CCP antibodies and negative RF, it means you are less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. Your provider may need to do more tests to help find out what is causing your symptoms.