This is a test to determine if you have rheumatoid factor, a kind of antibody, in your blood.
The test is done to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints. The inflammation causes pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints and, often, joint damage.
No special preparation is needed for this test.
A small amount of blood is taken from your arm with a needle. The blood is collected in tubes and sent to a lab.
Having this test will take just a few minutes.
Ask your healthcare provider when and how you will get the result of your test.
A positive test result means that you have rheumatoid factor in your blood. If you have painful joint swelling and other symptoms along with other abnormal blood test results, you may have rheumatoid arthritis. If you have no symptoms, the test is not very helpful. Many healthy people test positive for small amounts of rheumatoid factor, but they never develop rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases.
If you have a negative rheumatoid factor test result and no symptoms of arthritis, you probably do not have rheumatoid arthritis. However, if you have a negative test result but you do have symptoms of arthritis and abnormal results for other blood tests that detect inflammation or autoimmune disease, you may have rheumatoid arthritis or a related condition. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis never test positive for rheumatoid factor. Or they may start having a positive test after they have had arthritis for awhile. Other tests can help see if the problem really is rheumatoid arthritis.
Test results are only one part of a larger picture that takes into account your medical history, physical exam, and current health. Sometimes a test needs to be repeated to check the first result. Talk to your healthcare provider about your result and ask questions.
If your test result is not normal, ask your healthcare provider:
