Auto-antibodies

Know the Facts: Rheumatoid Arthritis (part 2)

July 23, 2021 ·

We’ve discussed what it is, who gets it and how we make a diagnosis (and if you missed it, check out our previous post). But WHY does this happen? And can it be avoided? Rheumatoid arthritis is truly life changing. Getting the right rheumatoid arthritis information and understanding how and why our bodies do this can help us gain back control.

So why Rheumatoid Arthritis? What causes it and why did this happen to you? Well, as with most things rheumatic, it’s complicated. Genetics most definitely plays a big role. Having a family member with RA will put everyone in the family at higher risk for developing, not only RA, but any autoimmune condition. This is why it’s so important to know your family history.

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Know the facts: Rheumatoid Arthritis (part 1)

July 21, 2021 ·

When getting a new diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis, I find that most people need to start with the basics. It can be overwhelming. I know that not much beyond “You have Rheumatoid Arthritis” is heard and that everyone will need time to digest all the information out there.

So let’s talk about some Rheumatoid Arthritis facts and start with “What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?” RA is an autoimmune, systemic, inflammatory disorder. Seen in almost 1% of the US population, RA is more often seen in women compared to men and usually happens during middle age.

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Know the facts about your dsDNA antibody

June 15, 2021 ·

Most lupus patients are familiar with the dsDNA antibody blood test. Like the ANA result, it is a blood test most closely related to lupus. Occasionally a positive dsDNA result can be seen in other conditions. But, the presence of a dsDNA antibody is considered specific for a diagnosis of lupus. As there are multiple ways a lab may detect a dsDNA, there still remains the possibility of a false positive, but a positive dsDNA result warrants a trip to the rheumatologist. (Reminder = “false positive” simply means the test is positive, yet the patient doesn’t have the condition associated with that result) Patients often are referred to a rheumatologist with a notebook full of labs, mostly of all varieties of antibodies and it is overwhelming.

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The TPO Antibody explained

January 20, 2021 ·

Autoimmune thyroid disease is common but can be confusing. A big component of the diagnosis is the blood test for TPO antibodies. TPO stands for Thyroid Peroxidase and it is vitally important for the production of thyroid hormone (which impacts almost every system in our body…so yeah, it’s important). Those with an antibody for TPO can then develop problems producing thyroid hormone and a slew of problems can follow.

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Why a +RF test doesn’t always mean you have Rheumatoid Arthritis

January 5, 2021 ·

Know what your +RF means

If you’ve ever seen a doctor because of persistent hand pain or hand swelling or even knee pain it is quite possible you’ve had the Rheumatoid Factor test done. When it comes back positive it is easy to assume that it means you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I mean, obviously, it has the same name in it, “Rheumatoid.” But as with most things antibody related, it’s not that simple. The Rheumatoid Factor can be positive in a lot of different conditions aside from Rheumatoid Arthritis and the chance of having a positive Rheumatoid Factor blood test goes up as we get older.

Learn more about the Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the above video and take notes. Having more information will help you understand your own labs results and get you more prepared for your own doctor’s visit.

~Dr. Ortiz