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Rheumatoid factors specific for active rheumatoid arthritis
D T Noritake1, K K Colburn, G Chan
1Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Sepulveda, CA 91343.
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
|November 1, 1990
Summary
A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) accurately identifies rheumatoid factors specific to rheumatoid arthritis. This diagnostic tool shows high specificity for active disease, aiding in rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
- Diagnostic Assay Development
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation.
- Accurate diagnostic markers for RA are crucial for timely and effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a highly specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting rheumatoid factors (RFs) in human serum.
- To assess the specificity of these RFs for rheumatoid arthritis compared to other conditions.
Main Methods:
- Developed a double binding ELISA to detect RFs that bind a cross-reactive determinant on human and sheep IgG.
- Tested the assay on sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, other connective tissue diseases, healthy subjects, and patients with other autoimmune diseases.
Main Results:
- The developed ELISA demonstrated over 99% specificity for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Positive results strongly correlated with active arthritis (r = 0.68).
- RFs were not detected in most patients with other autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus.
Conclusions:
- The double binding ELISA effectively identifies rheumatoid factors specific to rheumatoid arthritis.
- This assay is a valuable tool for diagnosing active rheumatoid arthritis with high accuracy.