Publication: Raising rheumatoid factor cutoff helps distinguish rheumatoid arthritis
Issued Date
2005-06-01
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ISSN
0125877X
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2-s2.0-27544472219
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology. Vol.23, No.2-3 (2005), 165-169
Suggested Citation
Daungtawan Thammanichanond, Mongkol Kunakorn, Sureewan Kitiwanwanich, Kalayanee Attamasirikul, Kanokrat Nantiruj Raising rheumatoid factor cutoff helps distinguish rheumatoid arthritis. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology. Vol.23, No.2-3 (2005), 165-169. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/16952
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Title
Raising rheumatoid factor cutoff helps distinguish rheumatoid arthritis
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Abstract
The presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) is one of the clinical criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The cutoff point of RF assays is usually based on a reference level obtained from normal subjects in the same population as the patients. We evaluated 63 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 25 other arthritis patients and 110 blood donors. Their rheumatoid factors (RF) ranged from < 9.9 to 2,264, < 9.9 to 262, and < 9.9 to 66 mlU/ml, respectively. The sensitivity at different cutoff points of 15, 20, and 25 mlU/ml was 92.1%, 90.5%, and 88.9%, respectively. The specificity at the same cutoff points was 81.5%, 84.4%, and 85.2%, respectively. Having minimally sacrificed the sensitivity, we recommend using a higher RF cutoff to increase specificity.