positive Ra factor

Has any one every heard about hep C causing a positive. RA factor. I was dx with rheumatoid arthritis years ago then I found out I had hep c. Now all the DRs blame all my symtoms (symptoms) on Hepc even the positve Ra factor. I have tried to research this but I found nothing .

[suezeeque]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19369460

[eureka254]

I'm not very familiar with the technical testing side of it, but my limited understanding is that 50%-80% of the hcv-pos population actually test positive for Rheumatoid Factor -- it's not well understood (at least not by me, anyway), but something within the hcv-immune system link produces positive RF results.  In fact, certain treatments for RA can actually reactivate hepatitis for those who are only positive for antibodies.

There are additional differentiating tests your doctor can use to see if you have further indicators for symptomatic Rheumatoid Arthritis, or if your pos RF blood test is a by-product of hcv infection... it's important that physicians treating hcv be familiar with this distinction, as tx can seriously exacerbate existing RA.  

There's probably more understanding in the RA community about the distinctions than in the HCV community on this topic as a whole; some of that research you were talking about:

Title:  Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies as a discriminating marker between rheumatoid arthritis and chronic hepatitis C-related polyarthropathy  
Author:  Ezzat, WM  Add.Author / Editor:  Raslan, HM; Aly, AA; Emara, NA; El Menyawi, MM; Edrees, A;
Citation:  RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 31 (1): 65-69 JAN 2011  
Year:  2011  
Abstract:  Articular involvement is a frequent extrahepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The distinction between HCV-related polyarthropathy and true RA may be very difficult, especially with recent onset RA before articular damage and erosions develop. The objective of the study is to assess the diagnostic utility of anti-CCP antibodies and compare it with that of rheumatoid factor (RF) in distinguishing between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and HCV-related polyarthropathy. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies and RF were determined in the sera of 30 patients with RA and 22 patients with HCV-related polyarthropathy. Anti-CCP antibodies were positive in 83.3% of patients with RA and in 4.5% in patients with HCV and polyarthropathy. RF was positive in 90% of RA patients and in 81.1% of HCV patients with polyarthropathy. The anti-CCP antibodies showed higher specificity for RA compared with RF (95.4 vs. 18.2%). However, the sensitivity of anti-CCP was comparable to that of RF (83.3 vs. 90%). In conclusions, anti-CCP antibodies are reliable laboratory markers to differentiate between RA and HCV-related polyarthropathy.