HELP WITH RESULTS

[lisa148]

Hi I went for my thyroid results and got an urgent referral for rheumatoid clinic can someone interpret these results for me and explain a bit more please

[allanah]

There are so mamy different interpretations to blood test results plus you need to take your doctors clinical findings into account. Rheumatologists look for many more illnesses tham RA and many illness can appear to be RA but can be different.

Im no doctor so i would suggest you call your GP for more information, it maybe s/hes not concerned about RA but looking for causes of your symptoms.

Good luck in your quest of finding out what is going on. 🥰

[DJK99]

Hi Lisa - just found this which explains your anti-ccp result as looks positive result at 7, do you think?

“A related blood test known as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) test is also available. Anti-CCPs are antibodies also produced by the immune system. People who test positive for anti-CCP are very likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, but not everybody with rheumatoid arthritis has this antibody.

nhs.uk › conditions › diagnosis

Rheumatoid arthritis - Diagnosis - NHS”

You looked to have borderline positive for the other one too.

I always google words etc i do ‘t understand and this has proved very helpful through the years. But, absolutely, you must ask your GP for assistance as none of us on here are clinicians, although we might be used to seeing same sort of thing. .

All the best to you x

[allanah in reply to DJK99]

However they can be present or not in other things so rather than guess I would contact your gp to discuss your whole clinical picture. For example do you have sore, swollen paimful joints. Do you have stiffness. Do you have chest or kidney type problems.

Lots of things to take into account initially, ypu may need xrays and other checks. Xx

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Lisa, welcome to the NRAS forum. Unfortunately whilst it does show a positive anti-CCP result this on it's own doesn't help an awful lot. You can have a positive anti-CCP result (of around 20) & it could be considered a normal or negative result. For example, in a seropositive diagnosis theoretically it can be in the early thousands, as mine was. In a seronegative diagnosis anti-CCP would be a negative result. Maybe this will help further nras.org.uk/resource/diagno...

In Rheumatology blood test results alone aren't necessarily indicative of having RD or another autoimmune inflammatory condition. A bit like a jigsaw others need to fit too, such as inflammation levels (ESR/CRP), they would be tested as well, often Rheumatoid Factor & examinations. Most commonly as well is if you have bilateral joint involvement, imaging is helpful determining here, plus stiffness for around an hour in the mornings.

In this instance your GP really needs to explain, go through his reasoning behind testing & what he makes of the results.

Sorry if this isn't particularly helpful. Pop back here if there's anything further your GP can't help you with, we'll do all we can if we're able to.

[Sheila_G]

Only a professional can interpret your results but good luck with them.

[Helen-NRAS Moderator]

Good morning. If you would like support, information or just someone to talk to, our NRAS helpline is open every week day from 9.30am to 4.30pm nras.org.uk/helpline/ 0800 298 7650. Or have a look at our website nras.org.uk. Kind regards.

[mhlmom]

A positive anti-CCP result can indicate that at some point in the futue you may go on to develop RA but that doesnt mean you have it now - or at least that is what I was told. I showed positive on an anti-CCP test 7 years before I developed RA. The rheumatologist did a watching brief on me over the years to monitor for any clinical signs that I was starting to develop RA. So, for the moment, I wouldnt worry - see what the GP and rheumatologist say when you see them - without any current joint issues, it may just be that this creates a low threshold should you develop issues in the future. I was told it could be 5, 10, 20 or more years before anything happened (if I ever developed it)...its very easy to worry unnecessarily when your bloods throw up an anomally. Good luck with it all and I hope it turns out to be nothing.