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What Is the RA Factor Test For?

Most forms of arthritis are caused by worn or injured joints. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease which causes your body to attack itself, mostly in the hand and feet joints. One test for the disease is the RA factor test, also called the RF test.

  1. Symptoms

    • Your doctor may order the RA factor test if you have pain, swelling, and/or joint deformity in your hands and feet and are experiencing tiredness or running a low-grade fever.

    Test

    • Medical staff will take a sample of your blood and send it to the lab for testing. You do not need to fast before the test.

    Purpose

    • Many people have some RA factors, which are proteins that attack your own body, but in most people with RA the levels are abnormally high. The test is to determine if you have the factors and their level.

    Other Tests

    • Your doctor may order other blood work or imaging tests that check for inflammation, other antibodies that appear with rheumatoid arthritis, and joint damage.

    Results

    • A positive RA factor test indicates rheumatoid arthritis but it is not conclusive since other disorders can cause RA factors. Since 20 percent of people with RA do not have RA factors, a negative test does not mean you do not have RA. The test is used as one tool for making a diagnosis.

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