Help to interpret letter from Rheumatology Department please

[tigerlily72]

Just a shout out to see if anyone can help to explain part of the letter I got in the post today following my appointment with the rheumatologist / doctor at the mineral hospital in Bath.

What are MCP and PIP joints?

"MCP and PIP joints were tender but there were no symptoms typical of active synovitis"?

Blood tests were done to check anti CCP, ANA, dsDNA antibody - what are these?

Apparently I have a slightly increased PV. The PV result is 1.89. What's this?

Urine Protein/creatinine ratio: normal

Protein electrophoresis, FBC, CRP, LFTS, C&E, TSH - no abnormalities

Anti CCP, RF, HEP2, ENA, dsDNA - negative

I need to have more blood taken and an ANCA screen to check for the possibility of vasculitis.

TIA 😀

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

Really best to talk to the consultant to get them to explain. First but is looking for arthritis. It's the finger joints that the MCP etc are being talked about

[tigerlily72 in reply to desquinn]

She's on annual leave this week but I have her mobile number. I'll probably wait until I've got the result of the 2nd blood test (checking for vasculitis).

[motherconfessor]

Cannot interpret your results as not qualified to do so, but this is what the initials stand for (can google all of them)

PIP is the proximal interphalangeal joint in the finger (the second joint from the fingertip), the MCP is the metacarpophalangeal (the joint nearest the hand).

Anti CCP (anti-citrullinated protein) a test for the presence of rheumatoid arthritis.

ANA (anti nuclear antibody) a test for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

dsDNA (double stranded DNA) also tests for antibodies that show up in lupus.

PV - plasma viscosity (thickness).

hope this helps

[tigerlily72 in reply to motherconfessor]

Thank you 😀

[tigerlily72 in reply to motherconfessor]

Thank you 😀

[Hidden]

i think it's probably best like someone else said to talk it over with a doctor etc. you're really lucky being able to go the mineral hospital. x