What is rheumatoid factor? Is it normally present in blood and increased in rheumatoid diseases or not? What is it chemically? What are the indications for measurement of rheumatoid factor, besides arthritis? Please post. Thanks.
Rheumatoid factor is protein that is usually not present in the normal individual. It’s a type of antibody that can bind to other antibodies. It is present in blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, infectious mononucleosis, tuberculosis and some liver diseases. So, it’s not specific for diagnose of rheumatoid arthritis. But as its level in blood is higher, there is higher tendency for development of non-joint manifestations of arthritis, like rheumatoid lung disease.