Rheumatoid Factor, Quantitative

Rheumatoid Factor, Quantitative

Alternate Test Name

RA

RF

Epic Mnemonic
Sunquest Mnemonic

LAB206
RA

Category

Chemistry

Methodology

Immunoturbidimetric assay

Test Performance Schedule

Sunday - Saturday

Result Availability

Within 24 hours

Container

Gold top (SST), Red top (serum), or Green top (lithium heparin) tube
Alt: EDTA - GREEN / RED

Volume

Pref. Vol.: 1.0 mL
Min. Vol.: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions

• Routine venipuncture

• Immediately after collection, gently invert tube 5-10 times

• Clot 30 minutes

• Promptly centrifuge

• If no gel barrier is present immediately transfer serum or plasma to a plastic tube and refrigerate

• Properly centrifuged gel barrier tube does not require transfer of serum or plasma to separate tube

Transportation Instructions

Refrigerated

Stability

• Room Temperature: 1 day

• Refrigerated: 3 days

• Frozen: 4 weeks

CPT Codes

86431

Effective/Revised

03/29/2017

Rheumatoid factors are a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies. They are important in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, but can also be found in other inflammatory rheumatic diseases and in various non-rheumatic diseases. They are also found in clinically healthy persons over 60 years of age. Despite these restrictions, the detection of rheumatoid factors is a diagnostic criterion of the American College of Rheumatology for classifying rheumatoid arthritis. The autoantibodies occur in all the immunoglobulin classes, although the usual analytical methods are limited to the detection of rheumatoid factors of the IgM type.