I think it's low. Kathleen Turner has said hers was over 1000. In a quick search I found this: http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/38/12/1245.pdf

I think this may be the highest RA factor, but I did not read the article. Scroll down and you will see RA factor of 2560

Hope that helps!
-Sarah

Hi RenneG,

During the process of diagnosis, my RF ranged from 400+ then maxed out at 1816 & stayed around 1100 for a while even when I was on MTX, Prednisone & Celebrex. I was crippled with RA when diagnosed so I guess it was easy for my Rheumy to make the diagnosis of sero-positive RA.

I am interested to know what other peoples RF were too & what it actually means.

Also RenneG, I'd like to welcome you to this group. None of us really want to be here & living with this everyday but it's a place of support & understanding. I know it's hard to deal with waiting for the diagnosis, even though we never wanted RA & having to manage all that a diagnosis might mean. You're asking lots of good questions & I hope you are feeling well enough to enjoy this special time of year. Take care, Anna

It may be low, but high enough to indicate something might be going on. Tests like ANA, CRP and sed rate, together with visible swelling and redness in your joints, and your reports of pain and other symptoms, such as fatigue will ALL be more important than your rheumatoid factor.

All I know is that an greater than 14 is considered abnormal so yours definelty is not normal I dont know the cut offs for high or med. Have you had the anti-ccp test? That is supposed to be the most definitive test for RA.

(an RF greater than)

ahhh is right. 14 is normal and anything higher than that is not. Mine was 38 when I was first dx a year ago. Hey happy Anniversary to me it's been i year with this crap.
sorry, bigi

your RA factor seems high to me. My labs stated that an RA factor over 20 was positive. 20 being the cut off. My test for RA factor was sent and performed at the mayo clinic. I had a negative RA Factor less than 20, but other inflammatory tests were positive, such as CRP, and AntiCCP, SED rate.

So many labs, so much confusion. Here is what MY lab says--(Austin Regional Labs-division of Austin Regional Clinic, which is a pretty tough customer in the Heart of Texas). They report it exactly like this: -

When I first got RA, my sed rate was 0. This made it difficult to diagnose and I was crippled, and all my deformities result from that first year. I couldn't bend my fingers, my wrists, elbows, shoulders were swollen and red and burning, and my feet just crumpled up. Then after 1 1/2 years, I went up to 74. That is when the docs decided it was time to start treating me with something besides prednisone. Since I went on Kineret 5 years ago, my sed rate has been near zero, which is how I feel - pretty good, except for my foot, which still has a huge amount of pain after reconstructive surgery 8 months ago.

If you get on a good med combo, it will probably come down. That will mean less pain, and disease under control. My xrays show comparatively that there is continued slow progression of the disease. But I am not worried, because I feel relatively good, and my left foot for example, the physio showed me some good stretches, and it is actually improving. Be proactive, don't worry about numbers.

RA factors are a bit tipsy. I started with a "borderline" of 30 but right now it is normal and I am aching and tired! Typically, doctors treat the symptoms and do preventative care if the profile fits the diagnosis. Seems sketchy, at times, but it is really the best that they have. My doc told me that sero-negative RA is quite common. That is the long answer. The short answer is, yes, anything over 20 is considered abnormal or "High".

Mine was 381 when I was dx, I have no idea what it is now. I know my Dr. said it was "high" but I think others are much higher than that - when my anti-CCP came back positive I asked how high and it wasn't overly high - but then said "it doesn't matter how high, it is positive and that is the part we need to know". I have read that a higher RF test indicates a more aggressive course for the disease but the more I learn the more I think it's so individual that it's not written in stone, it just "could" indicate it.

My drs have treated for symptoms and not labs which is very helpful. I prefer a Dr. who listens to me and responds to what I tell them I experience every day rather than one who looks at the lab and tells me what it must feel like :)

hello-just recived my b/w back from increasing MXT to 10 mg -pred 5mg (was on 20mg for a flare) and 400mg of plaquinol--have RA now 16 years --not too bad until passed couple of years---WBC 14.4 (does this happen while on Pred?) LFTs good--but RA is now at 100--Sed rate 8---still awaiting CCP-----is 100 a mod number-Im in med field but all thses numbers are confusing me----anyone out there that can shed come REAL light on all of this? Does your RF decrease with time when you start to feel better?Thanks for listening................

My Rhuemy pays no attention the RF factor test as a measurement tool. He see's it only useful as a diagnostic tool. My understanding is the the higher numbers just refelect how long you've had the disease and that's why many of us test "seronegative" in the begginning but become "seropositive" later on. Your SED and CRP test are much more relavant to severity of disease.

Some insurance companies (or government health plans-Canada) will use the RF factor as a criteria for coverage of medications. My doc lied to them (told them I was positive on the form) to ensure I got the proper coverage for the biologic.

My rheumy says that once you've gotten a positive RF factor you never need to take that test again. It is a diagnostic test that says yes you have RA . However, as many of us know a negative RF factor doesn't necessarily mean anything...

Once you've been diagnosed with RA the othere tests for inflammation are more useful tests: Sed rate, C-reactive protein, CCP...

My Sed rate went down to 4 last August (normal range is 20 - 30 depending on your age) it just meant that I had little inflammation but I still had RA, if that makes any sense...

According to my lab restults, anything over 20 is High. The highest mine has been is 842. That's with anti-inflammatories and predinsone, methotrexate and remecaide. Remember, we are all different, we respond differently to the medications.
Best wishes to you. Plase keep me informed.