What Blood Tests Help Determine Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects joints. The inflammation slowly destroys bone and cartilage in the body. There are symptoms that suggest a person has developed rheumatoid arthritis, but blood tests are one of the only ways to be certain that arthritis exists. There are specific blood tests that can determine the presence of certain antibodies or proteins that signal arthritis.

Rheumatoid Bodies

One type of blood test determines whether there are rheumatoid bodies. These are found in the blood of 80 percent of people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Difference in Rheumatoid Bodies

If there's a high number of rheumatoid bodies, the arthritis is more severe. If there's a low number found, the rheumatoid arthritis is less severe.

Anti-CCP

One type of test determines the level of antibodies that bind citrulline modified proteins. This test is more specific and can pinpoint the problem, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis tend to have a high number of anti-CCPs.

What Does Anti-CCP Mean?

If there is a presence of anti-CCPs in the blood, they can be used to predict whether the patient has or will develop severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Inflammation Rates

Physicians can even do tests to determine inflammation rates. The amount of electrolyte sedimentation rate gives an idea of how inflamed the body is, and the quicker the red cell bloods fall, the higher the inflammation rate.

C-reactive Proteins

The presence of C-reactive proteins in the blood indicates inflammation in the body. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis will have a higher C-reactive protein count than those without.