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Stanford Health Care

Lab Tests for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Laboratory Tests

Laboratory tests, such as certain blood tests, can help rule out other conditions and help determine the type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis present. Tests may include:

  • Checking for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and igm rheumatoid factor (RF)
  • Blood tests, urinalysis, and other laboratory tests, including:

Antinuclear antibody

An antinuclear antibody is a diagnostic test that measures blood levels of antibodies, which are often present in persons with rheumatic disease. 

Arthrocentesis

Arthrocentesis is a procedure which involves obtaining a sample of synovial fluid in the joint for examination by inserting a thin, hollow needle into the joint and removing the fluid with a syringe. 

Complement

A complement is a blood test that measures the level of complement, a group of proteins in the blood; low levels of complement in the blood are associated with immune disorders. 

Complete blood count (CBC)

A complete blood count (CBC) measures the size, number, and maturity of the different blood cells in a specific volume of blood. This is one of the most common tests performed.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a measurement of how quickly red blood cells fall to the bottom of a test tube.

Hematocrit

A hematocrit measures the number of red blood cells present in a sample of blood. Low levels of red blood cells (anemia) is common in people with inflammatory arthritis and rheumatic diseases. 

Rheumatoid factor (RF)

This blood test detects whether rheumatoid factor is present in the blood, an antibody found in most people with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other rheumatic diseases.

White blood cell count

A WBC count is a test to measure the number of white blood cells (WBCs) in the blood.