Clinical Significance of Rheumatoid Factor in Rheumatoid Arthritis

PURPOSE: Serum rheumatoid factor (RF) is important in the diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatments of RA according the presence of RF in Korean. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed on the records of 109 patients followed at least 2 years at Ajou University Hospital among 230 RA patients fulfill the 1987 revised American College of Rheumatology criteria of RA from June, 1994 to March 2002. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients had positive RF (58.7%) and 91 patients were female (83.5%). There were no difference in demographic characteristics, joint involvements and duration of morning stiffness between RF positive and negative patients. Antinuclear antibody was detected more frequently in the RF positive (p=0.047). In RF positive RA patients, white blood cell and platelets counts were higher 8045.3±2543.3/㎕ vs 6835.6±l957.6/㎕, p=0.009 and 305±81.7×10^(3)/㎕ vs 264.4±83.2×10^(3)/㎕, p=0.01, respectively. Inflammatory markers such as ESR and CRP were also higher in the RF positive 49.1±36.8㎜/hr vs 26.6±24.3㎜/hr, p=0.001 and 2.9±4.l㎎/㎗ vs 0.8±1.2㎎/㎗, p=0.001, respectively. There is no difference in the use of disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) except that combination therapy was more commonly used in the RF positive RA patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Disease activity was more severe in RF positive than RF negative RA patients. More aggressive treatments were needed in RF positive patients.

Author dc:creator

• 신, 유섭

Contributors dc:contributor

• 서, 창희
• 대학원 의학과
• 103243

• 류마티스 관절염
• 류마티스 인자
• 염증
• DMARD
• 복합요법
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rheumatoid factor
• inflammation
• combination therapy

Language dc:language

ko

Identifier

http://dcoll.ajou.ac.kr:9080/dcollection/jsp/common/DcLoOrgPer.jsp?sItemId=000000004335
000000004335

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.ajou.ac.kr:201003/1998