Is this result significant

[Moggie]

Morning all,

This is my first time posting on here so please be gentle with me.lol.

I had a raft of tests done at the GP's a few weeks ago and one that I asked for was an antibody tests for RA due tot he fact that, at times, I have knee, hip and elbow pain - the knee pain being the worse. I already have autoimmune thyroid illness so know that I am more susceptible to other autoimmune illness's.

My antibody test came back at 10 (0.0 - 14) which, although I know is now over the range so cannot be classed as a positive result, is still quite high in the range. So does this mean that, like thyroid antibodies, it will just keep climbing or is a result of 10 fairly normal.

I am due to discuss this with my GP tomorrow, and like to go armed with as much knowledge as I can, so any input from you guys would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Moggie x

[oldtimer]

which antibody test did you have? Rheumatoid factor/ anti-ccp/other tests?

The results of antibody tests can vary but don't usually climb steadily. Sometimes during an active phase it can be abnormal only to revert to normal levels when the disease is controlled.

Diagnosis is usually done on combination of the tests and the clinical picture.

[Moggie in reply to oldtimer]

Thanks for your answer.

Unfortunately my test results are at home and I am at work so can't say exactly what antibody test it was. I know with thyroid antibodies they will increase year on year until they are over the referrence range and you are diagnosed with hashimotos (autoimmune thyrioditis) but you seem to be saying this does not happen with RA???? and if I had had the test a month or so ago when my knees were really painful this test might have been higher - yes????

Your reply is appreciated.

Moggie x

[Hidden]

Hey Maggie, for RA, you need your numbers on ESR, CRP, Anti CCP and RF - they are the main tests for RA. If they include ANA - that’s a number for Lupus. There are others as well. Hope this help cheers Deb

[Moggie in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that, will get home tonight and have a good look at what was actually done. Yes it did include a ANA test but I didn't know what it was for. I know a lot of the tests said "this does not exclude RA".

Moggie x

[Hidden in reply to Moggie]

So, for numbers to be OK, CRP < 1, ESR < 5. I don’t have numbers for anti CCP or RF. What I can say is that my numbers at diagnosis were: ESR 30, CRP 12, AntiCCP > 300 and RF 410 - that equated to lots of frowns from the Rheumy and a double seropositive RA diagnosis. Hope that info help, cheers Deb

[Moggie in reply to Hidden]

Will have to look more closely tonight regarding these tests and maybe come back tomorrow when I have them in front of me and ask another questions.

Thanks for your help.

Moggie x

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

When you get your results, there should be a reference range printed on the sheet. YAnniBaci is I think in Australia (?) and labs do vary a bit, plus doctors also adjust for age/sex and so on. For me, my GP insists that an ESR under 30 is normal - despite me showing her 7 years of results that show my normal is under 6.

RF and anti-CCP are often only considered positive over 20 (again labs vary). If you were tested by a UK GP then most likely to be the rheumatoid factor (RF) test as many GP don't/won't do anti-CCP tests. If it was RF then really doesn't help much either way as it's not a very sensitive test. Many people with RA don't have the antibodies, and many people with the antibodies don't have RA. A diagnosis needs other things to be present as well, like high inflammation markers and hot and swollen joints. RF results - even in the 100's - by themselves don't mean much.

The levels can change over time, but they don't automatically rise.

.

[Moggie in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you for that info, will sit and digest it and then figure out what I want my GP to do as, at the moment, I am working with her on several different issues.

Moggie x