Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by pain, swelling and stiffness in joints which commonly affects the hands, wrists and feet.  Whilst both men and women can suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, it is more commonly seen in women than men.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common autoimmune disease with a higher prevalence rate compared to lupus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis.

(Simmons, 2013)

The incidence rates of rheumatoid arthritis differ between men and women.  The onset of RA occurs much earlier for women, for most, during their 30’s and 40’s.  In an American study, it was noted that the incidence rates peak for women around the ages of 55 to 64, compared to 75 to 84 years of age for men.

(Simmons, 2013)

As most women are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in their 30’s and 40’s, a study found that the diagnosis negatively impacts both the body and mind of women, as indicated in their pain, disease activity, and quality of life scores.  This is due to women being diagnosed at a time when their burdens are the heaviest as this is the time when women are most likely to have children or are raising children combined with work and socialising.

Changes in hormone levels also impacts women.  It has been noted that before a menstrual period, women find the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis to be more severe, but settles during their cycle.  Also, due to the changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, 50 – 60% of women with rheumatoid arthritis noticed that their symptoms improved.

The key to managing rheumatoid arthritis is to start the treatment as early as possible as it can halt or slow the disease, preventing joint damage and complications, including: osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.  Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of heart attack by 60%.  To start treatment as early as possible, it is important that it is diagnosed as early as possible.

Randox offer a number of key assays for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid factor is the most routinely run test to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis as 80% of rheumatoid arthritis patients test positive for rheumatoid factor.  The Randox Rheumatoid Factor reagent offers the following benefits:

• Wide measuring range of 6.72 – 104lU/ml for the accurate measurement of clinically important results
• Accurate assessment of rheumatoid factor titre (calibrant standardised against primary WHO material; 1^st British Standard 64/2)
• No interference from complement C1q
• Automated immunoturbidimetric assay
• Applications available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers, detailing instrument-specific settings

It has been found that complement C4 and CRP upregulation indicates the middle to late stages of rheumatoid arthritis.

The Randox Complement C4 reagent offers the following benefits:

• Wide measuring of 3.41 – 152mg/dl for the accurate measurement of clinically significant results
• Limited interferences from Bilirubin, Haemoglobin, Intralipids, and Triglycerides, producing more accurate results
• Automated immunoturbidimetric assay
• Applications available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers, detailing instrument-specific settings

The Randox High-Sensitivity CRP reagent offers the following benefits:

• Wide measuring of 0.477 – 10mg/l fir the accurate measurement of clinically significant results
• Liquid ready-to-use reagents for convenience and ease of use
• Applications available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers, detailing instrument-specific settings