The performance of two immunoturbidimetric modifications for rheumatoid factor (RF) testing, which differ with respect to the means of complement inactivation (heat treatment and inactivation with polyvinyl sulphonate), were compared in serum samples from 87 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and from 403 healthy subjects. IgM-rheumatoid factor titres were also measured with an enzyme link...

BACKGROUND The rheumatoid factor (RF) blood test is the most commonly adopted test for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA patients who are seropositive for RF might face a greater likelihood of developing more aggressive symptoms. METHODS Our goal was to study the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as their correlation with RF seropositivity, among a series of 80 RA...

BACKGROUND In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) bone marrow edema (BME, osteitis) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are associated with radiographic progression. ACPA have been associated with BME, but it is unknown if this association is confined to ACPA and BME. We performed cross-sectional analysis of the association of ACPA, rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-carbamylated protein (anti-...

Use of cytokines as biomarkers for disease is getting more widespread. Cytokines are conveniently determined by immunoassay, but interference from present antibodies is known to cause problems. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), interference of rheumatoid factor (RF) may be problematic. RF covers a group of autoantibodies from immunoglobulin subclasses and is present in 65-80% of RA patients. Partly...

Background Rheumatoid factor (RF) is a well-established marker for the diagnosis and classification of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most studies have evaluated IgM RF or isotype-nonspecific total tests. Objectives We importance isotype in this study. Methods An international cohort consisting samples from 52 RA patients 57 suffer other rheumatologic deseases were tested IgA, IgG RF. Clinical biol...

OBJECTIVES To study the stability of rheumatoid factor (RF) increases and to compare the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in people with transient or persistent increase of one or more RF isotypes. METHODS From an original cohort of nearly 14 000 participants in a population study, 135 previously RF positive persons were recruited in 1996 and evaluated according to the 1987 ACR criteria...

Rheumatoid factor (RF) antibodies are directed against the Fc part of IgG. Raised levels are found in most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but sometimes also in other connective tissue diseases, chronic infections, malignancy, and even in a small proportion of apparently healthy subjects.' Rheumatoid factor has mostly been measured by agglutination techniques, such as the RoseWaaler an...

PURPOSE To correlate the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) with ocular symptoms typical of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS The records of 451 patients who had been examined by an ophthalmologist and tested for anti-CCP antibodies over a 3-year period at the Mayo Clinic were reviewed. Records of 255 patients with titers of anti-CC...

Objective—To determine the relevance of the functional aYnity of IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) to the clinical and serological characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods—The functional aYnity of IgM RF of 57 seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients was evaluated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay based on the use of a chaotropic agent. The inhibition index was taken as a...