Citrulline Antibody Test

RA Diagnostic Test: Citrulline Antibody Test

Blood tests are usually run to help make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. These tests check for certain antibodies including anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA), rheumatoid factor (RF), and antinuclear antibodies (ANA), which are present in a majority of RA patients.
Rheumatoid factor (RF) is present in about 75% to 80% of RA patients, and a high RF may indicate a more aggressive for of the disease. An advantage of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) tests is that they can often detect the disease earlier on, and the sooner treatment begins the better patients can manage the disease. The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) is not a definitive diagnosis for RA, but their presence can indicate to the doctor that an autoimmune disorder may be present.