What is RA Factor?

[lchou]

Just got back most recent lab's & went over with my doctor.  He did not mention it, and I just noticed it.  It reads: RA Factor, Quant  121.  Does this mean I have Rhumatoid Arthritis???

Lauren

[Haji4]

I too had a high RA factor but there are other tests done to determine if you have Rheumatoid arthritis. I just went through the testing and forund out I do not have RA. we are still not sure. I heard it was common for people with HCV to have + RA factor w/o havinf RA. So There are several tests that go with a sed. rate and the c-reactive protein that should be done to rule RA out. It couuld also be a false positive so ask your doctor about ruling RA out.

[AnotherJourney]

I am just a HEp C patient so by no means a medical professional. I will share with you one of the things I learned from having Hep C. Having a high  RA factor does not mean you have rhumatoid arthritis. There can be a list of things that can cause the RA factor to be high. Before being diagnosed with Hep C my RA factor came back high. There is also something called a sedimentation rate that my rhumatologist used to rule out RA as well as xrays of my joints and the fact that my joint pain was not symetric.