Question
I have recently had blood test which show RF of 562 and CCP of 101. To me, these sound terrifyingly high. I have had just mild aches in ankles or knees for about 5 months and then two weeks ago woke with every joint hurting, hence the blood tests. Will these high levels reduce? How significant are they? From what I’ve read, they seem to indicate a more severe disease progression, but it has really just come ‘out of the blue’. I am a very fit 60 year old.
Answer
An elevated RF and anti-CCP blood test strongly suggests that you either have or will develop rheumatoid arthritis. However, no test is perfect and you still have to have the right symptoms before the diagnosis can be made. In general, patients with high RF and anti-CCP have more severe disease, but the correlation can have exceptions.
