If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, your physician most likely gave you a blood test. More than 80 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis test positive for an autoantibody called the rheumatoid factor.

However, what makes it tricky is the fact that the blood test for the rheumatoid factor may also be positive in people without rheumatoid arthritis. People who are related to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis may show a positive blood test for the rheumatoid factor even though they do not themselves suffer with rheumatoid arthritis.

The rheumatoid factor test shows the presence of the rheumatoid factor antibody in blood. Rheumatoid factor is an antibody that binds to other antibodies. While antibodies, normal proteins in the blood, are critical to the peak functioning of the immune system, the rheumatoid factor is an antibody that is not present in a healthy person.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should be aware of the fact that high levels of rheumatoid factor are associated with a more severe form of rheumatoid arthritis.

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People with rheumatoid arthritis who test positive for the rheumatoid factor may have a higher tendency to develop non-joint manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis including rheumatoid lung disease and rheumatoid nodules.

Physicians use the rheumatoid factor test for a number of reasons, not just for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. They may use the rheumatoid factor test for rheumatologic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus because those diseases may cause elevated rheumatoid factor tests.

Some of the other conditions in addition to rheumatoid arthritis that show a presence of the rheumatoid factor include various infectious diseases such as infectious syphilis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, parasites, infectious mononucleosis sarcoidosis and liver disease.

If you or a loved one has recently taken the rheumatoid factor test, you may be curious or worried about what abnormal results mean for you or your loved one. You may have rheumatoid arthritis or a positive test may indicate any of the following: leukemia, chronic viral infection, infectious mononucleosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic hepatitis, dermatomyositis or scleroderma.

Clearly, the rheumatoid factor is not a definitive test for rheumatoid arthritis because the rheumatoid factor is also seen in the aforementioned other types of autoimmune and infectious diseases.

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According to the American College of Rheumatology, the diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis should look at symptoms such as persistent morning stiffness and swelling. Also, in order to make the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, four out of seven signs and symptoms must be present.

If you have not yet had the rheumatoid factor test performed and are not sure if you have rheumatoid arthritis or another disease, you may be apprehensive or uncertain.

You may want to prepare your child or infant for the rheumatoid factor test so he or she will understand and not throw a fit. Make it simple for a child to understand by drawing a picture or using a doll to demonstrate the procedure.

Explain to your child that a nurse or health care professional will use antiseptic and puncture the child with a sharp needle or a lancet as part of the rheumatoid factor test. The blood for the rheumatoid factor test may be collected in a small glass tube or onto a test strip.

Whether you or your child is having the rheumatoid factor test conducted, both children and adults have blood drawn from a vein usually from the back of the hand. Afterwards, the nurse may apply cotton to the puncture site or use bandages if there is any more bleeding, but the rheumatoid factor blood test is typically not very painful or complicated.

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