A few substances are below this main interval, e . g . thyroid stimulating hormone, being measured in m U / L, or above, like rheumatoid factor and CA19-9, being measured in U / mL.
32.
Lymphomagenesis in primary SS patients is considered as a multistep process, with the first step being chronic stimulation of autoimmune B cells, especially B cells that produce rheumatoid factor at sites targeted by the disease.
33.
Laboratory testing is usually used to diagnose specific underlying diseases, including rheumatologic tests ( e . g . antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ) and serology for infectious diseases ( Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Tuberculosis ).
34.
Once the abnormal immune response has become established ( which may take several years before any symptoms occur ), plasma cells derived from B lymphocytes produce rheumatoid factors and ACPA of the IgG and IgM classes in large quantities.
35.
The term was originally introduced to indicate a drug that reduced evidence of processes thought to underlie the disease, such as a raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, reduced haemoglobin level, raised rheumatoid factor level and more recently, a raised C-reactive protein level.
36.
Rheumatoid factor can also be a cryoglobulin ( antibody that precipitates on cooling of a blood sample ); it can be either type 2 ( monoclonal IgM to polyclonal IgG ) or type 3 ( polyclonal IgM to polyclonal IgG ) cryoglobulin.
37.
Blood tests can be done to determine if a patient has high levels of antibodies that are indicative of the condition, such as antinuclear antibody ( ANA ) and rheumatoid factor ( because SS frequently occurs secondary to rheumatoid arthritis ), which are associated with autoimmune diseases.
38.
Test for presence of anti-citrullinated protein ( ACP ) antibodies are highly specific ( 88-96 % ) for rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ), about as sensitive as rheumatoid factor ( 70-78 % ) for diagnosis of RA, and are detectable from even before the onset of clinical disease.
39.
Some of the tests performed in this section mentioned techniques are : rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies by agglutination with latex particles, c-reactive protein, chromatography for determination of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B virus, ELISA for determination of hormones and the presence of other microorganisms causing diseases among other tests.
