What tests should be done for rheumatism?
Rheumatic diseases are common chronic diseases involving joints, muscles, bones, and the immune system. In order to accurately diagnose and evaluate the condition, doctors usually recommend that patients undergo a series of laboratory tests. The following are the hot topics and structured data about rheumatism testing on the Internet in the past 10 days to help you better understand related examination items.
1. Common laboratory tests for rheumatism

Diagnosis and monitoring of rheumatic diseases often require a combination of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. The following are common laboratory items and their clinical significance:
| Laboratory items | clinical significance | normal reference value |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid factor (RF) | Used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, with a positive rate of about 70% | <20 IU/mL |
| Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP) | Specific indicator for rheumatoid arthritis, high value for early diagnosis | <5 U/mL |
| C-reactive protein (CRP) | Reflect the degree of inflammatory activity and monitor disease activity | <10 mg/L |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) | Non-specific inflammatory markers to assess disease activity | Men<15 mm/h, women<20 mm/h |
| antinuclear antibodies (ANA) | Screening for autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus | Negative (<1:40) |
2. Recent hot topics: Precautions for rheumatism testing
1.fasting requirement: Some rheumatism tests require fasting for 8-12 hours, such as liver function, blood sugar and other tests, but rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies usually do not require fasting.
2.Check timing: Inflammation indicators (CRP, ESR) are easily affected by infection, trauma and other factors. It is recommended to recheck when the condition is stable.
3.Interpretation of results: Abnormality of a single indicator cannot diagnose rheumatism, and a comprehensive judgment must be made based on clinical manifestations and other examinations.
4.New technology application: The recently discussed microfluidic chip technology can realize the rapid detection of multiple autoantibodies and shorten the diagnosis time.
3. Specific test combinations for different rheumatic diseases
| disease type | Recommended assay combinations | diagnostic value |
|---|---|---|
| rheumatoid arthritis | RF+anti-CCP+CRP+ESR | Sensitivity 85%, specificity 90% |
| systemic lupus erythematosus | ANA+anti-dsDNA+anti-Sm antibody | ANA positive rate>95% |
| ankylosing spondylitis | HLA-B27+CRP+ESR | HLA-B27 positive rate 90% |
| Sjogren's syndrome | Anti-SSA/SSB antibody+RF | The positive rate of specific antibodies reaches 70% |
4. Latest research progress in rheumatism testing
1.biomarker research: A recent study published in the Annals of Rheumatology pointed out that serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels can predict the treatment response of rheumatoid arthritis.
2.artificial intelligence applications: An AI-assisted diagnosis system for rheumatism developed by a tertiary hospital can improve early diagnosis accuracy by 15% through laboratory data combination.
3.Home testing technology: The latest portable CRP detector can achieve rapid fingertip blood testing with an error rate of <5%.
5. Recommendations for regular review of rheumatism
| condition status | Recommended review frequency | Core monitoring indicators |
|---|---|---|
| active period | every 1-3 months | CRP, ESR, joint function assessment |
| stable period | every 6-12 months | RF, anti-CCP, liver and kidney function |
| medication adjustment period | every 2-4 weeks | Blood routine, liver enzymes, inflammatory indicators |
Summary:Laboratory examination of rheumatism is an important means of diagnosis and disease monitoring, but it requires professional doctors to make comprehensive judgments based on clinical manifestations. It is recommended that patients choose regular medical institutions for examination and regular follow-up to evaluate the effect of treatment. The latest research shows that joint detection of multiple biomarkers can improve diagnostic accuracy and may lead to more accurate personalized diagnosis and treatment plans in the future.
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