Rheumatoid factor

Rheumatoid factor

This test is most often used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. About 80% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have positive RF tests.

But the RF test may also be positive in healthy people.

RF is an antibody that attaches to a substance called immunoglobulin, forming an immune complex. The immune complex can trigger different types of inflammation-related processes.

A positive test may be due to:

Chronic hepatitis
Chronic viral infection
Dermatomyositis
Infectious mononucleosis
Leukemia
Rheumatoid arthritis
Scleroderma
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Adult Still's disease
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Nephrotic syndrome
Sjogren syndrome

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003548.htm#Normal%20Values

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