Blood Tests and Arthritis??

Question

I just got a blood test (shudders) due to painful joints, I know they were checking for Arthritis but they did SIX tests, anyone know what they could've been for?

Answer 1

As there are over 200 different types of arthritis ( amazing i know )  they would have probably tested you for the most common forms of it

Question: What blood tests are commonly ordered to diagnose and monitor arthritis?

How important are blood tests in diagnosing arthritis? What blood tests are commonly ordered and what do they tell a rheumatologist about an individual patient?

When a patient has negative blood test results for the arthritis indicators, but have all the clinical symptoms such as pain, redness, warmth, swelling, and stiffness in their joints - do the negative labs preclude a diagnosis of arthritis?

What is the determining factor in what tests are ordered and how often?

Answer: Rheumatologists (doctors who specialize in the treatment of arthritis) typically order blood tests to help confirm or exclude a clinical diagnosis. For example, consider a patient who has a 3 month history of prolonged morning stiffness associated with pain and swelling of the wrists or hand. In this patient, the following blood tests might be ordered to help confirm a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis:

rheumatoid factor "RF"

anti-cyclic citrullined peptide "CCP"

erythrocyte sedimentation rate "ESR"

C-reactive protein "CRP"

The presence of a positive RF or CCP in this patient would help confirm a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). On the other hand, up to 30 % of patients with RA may not have these antibodies, especially early in their disease. In addition, the presence of a RF, especially at a low level is not uncommon in patients who do not have, and never will develop RA. The anti-CCP antibody is more likely to be associated with RA, so if elevated at a high level, the patient without typical manifestations of RA may be more likely to develop the disease.

The other two blood tests mentioned are the ESR and CRP. These blood tests measure inflammation and are typically elevated in patients with active RA. Normal levels do not rule out RA, but those patients may be less likely to develop damage in their joints than patients with high levels of inflammation, especially an elevated CRP.

An anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) is an important test in our example patient to evaluate for systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. While low levels of ANA are common in RA, high levels of ANA in this example patient may indicate possible lupus, especially if the CCP and RF are negative.

Finally, on subsequent visits, the RF and CCP are not typically re-ordered if positive. On the other hand, the ESR and CRP are frequently ordered as they can help confirm (in addition to the patients history and exam) whether the arthritis is active or in remission.

hope this helps you understand it more ...good luck ..Davie

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Answer 2

They were probably

1 Rheumatoid factor

2 Urea (High levels indicate Gout)

3 CRP Indicates infection present

4 WCC White Cell Count also indicates infection

5 U+E Electrolyte levels indicate renal function

6 LFT Liver function tests.

Answer 3

I'll have a go at some of the ones that might have been done.

FBC- this is done pretty much for everything, the white count may be affected by arthritis

ESR- a non-specific disease activity marker

CRP- another disease activity marker, sometimes one is positive and the other negative

RF- Rheumatoid factor, this is SOMETIMES positive in rheumatoid arthritis

ANF- Anti Nuclear Factor, a less specific arthritis marker

Uric Acid- to exclude gout.

There may be others, however in most patients with arthritis all the tests are negative and the condition is called 'Sero-Negative' arthritis.