can some one decipher please

[binlid]

hi i have just been looking at my last paperwork and have seen at top im seroposoitive anti ccp positive rheumatoid athritis wht does this mean please

[earthwitch]

sero positive and anti ccp positive means that if you have the clinical signs of RA (on examination of your joints or on xrays or ultrasound exam) then it pretty much confirms it. That's the test results they would be looking for to confirm RA. It is possible to have positive blood tests and not have the disease though, which is why you have to have a rheumatologist examine you to confirm it.

[helixhelix]

When they do your blood tests they look at a whole range of things. And one of them is whether you have a particular type of thing in your blood that is called the rheumatoid factor. If you have it then you are considered to be sero-positive, and it is more likely that you have RA. The other one they look for is anti-CCP. This is similar but more reliable as a test for RA, so again if the result is positive then you are about 95% likely to have RA.

There are lots of theories about whether people who are seropositive/anti-CCP positive have a worse type of RA or not, but reading everybody's stories on here I don't think you can make any assumptions, The important thing is what your RA is like for you, so don't worry about these labels. Polly

[allanah]

There is a very interesting section on blood tests on nras.org which explains it in depth. Hope you get on your treatments soon Ax

[binlid in reply to allanah]

cant find it on there just seems to be selling things ty x

[allanah in reply to binlid]

Must be the wrong site , National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society we page, if you search it , they don't sell things. , it's for support and info and they have a free section on blood tests

[allanah in reply to allanah]

My bad sorry, it's nras.org.uk xxxxx

[allanah in reply to allanah]

Theres a good section on newly diagnosed and a search option on top right of the page xA

[binlid]

thak you all very much i am a year in now and have just noticed this on top of rheumy letter tyx