Rheumatoid factor titer question?Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease for which there is no cure. In the lab where I work, we do "rheumatoid factor titers." We goggled RA titers and found that the severity of the disease is tied to the titer (higher titer, greater severity). If you treat the symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms decreases, will there be a decrease in the RA titer, or will this remain the same, as you're not curing the disease, but remedying the symptoms?
-Labgrrl in the 3rd person
Assuming an RA titer works like a proof-of-immunization titer (and it probably does) the higher titer means more antibodies per uL (or whatever unit), which means the body is attacking the joints WORSE...
So, if you're treating with immunosuppressants, you're going to decrease the number of antibodies, but if you're treating with other things, then you're not.
This is based on experience with *other* ai diseases, though. (I've got Ord's, myself, and my antibody titer is very high and I'm asymptomatic due to good drugs...)
Arthritis Medication, Prevention, Symptoms, Treatment and Causes by Gooarthritis.info
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