Most important blood tests for Rheumatic Diseases

Introduction

Rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can be serious. Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most dangerous autoimmune conditions. More or less all autoimmune conditions are equally harmful as during these conditions, the natural immune system of the body starts attacking the body cells and tissues that it’s supposed to protect. Same goes with rheumatoid arthritis, in this condition, the immune system starts attacking the linings of the joints. Fortunately, there are blood tests available now that can help in earlier detection of this condition, which may help someone get necessary treatments at the right time. Let us mention some important blood tests for detecting autoimmune and inflammatory forms of arthritis.

Tests for Autoimmune arthritis

• Anti-nuclear antibodies
  • What is this test?
  • The main purpose of this test is to detect autoimmune response, the phase when the immune system attacks the bodily cells.
  • Who should get this test?
  • Patients experiencing symptoms that indicate the possibility of an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
• Rheumatoid factor
  • What is this test?
  • Rheumatoid factors are identified as autoantibodies that attack the healthy tissues and cells. The purpose of this test is to measure rheumatoid factor amount in an individual’s blood.
  • Who should get the test?
  • The test helps to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis in individuals, so it’s for the patients having symptoms that suggest rheumatoid arthritis.
• Anti-CCP
  • What is this test?
  • Improper circulation throughout the body can be the reason for the production of antibodies against the tissues that are healthy.
  • Who should get this test?
  • Individuals who are experiencing pain and stiffness in hands, feet and small joints for approximately six to twelve years should go for this test.

Inflammatory marker tests

• ESR, SED Rate
  • What is this test?
  • The purpose of this test is to measure the amount of inflammation in the body.
  • Who should get this test?
  • This test is for monitoring the activity of the disease in patients who are suffering from inflammatory conditions.
• CRP
  • What is this test?
  • CRP or C Reactive protein is produced by the liver in response to an active inflammation or infection in the body. The test measures the levels of this protein in the body of an individual.
  • Who should get this test?
  • The test is for diagnosing inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and also for monitoring treatment response.
• MBDA test
  • What is this test?
  • The term MBDA stands for Multi Biomarker Disease Activity. This test is performed for monitoring and measuring disease activities in patients having rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Who should get this test?
  • Individuals who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or going through any critical fibromyalgia-like pain state should go for this test.

The bottom line

Apart from all these, there are also genetic tests like HLA-B27, which is associated with a vast family of rheumatic diseases that’s known as spondyloarthropathies. This test is often performed on individuals having symptoms that suggest the presence of an autoimmune condition. Getting these tests at the right time is important because if rheumatoid arthritis can be detected during the earlier stages then it may become easier to be treated and cured. You may consult a reliable medical expert to fetch more information in this regard.