Preferred Specimen(s) 1 mL serum
Transport Container Plastic screw-cap vial
Transport Temperature
- Room temperature 1 week,
- Refrigerated 14 days
Reject Criteria
- Gross hemolysis
- Lipemia
Methodology Nephlometry
Clinical Significance Elevated RF is found in collagen vascular diseases such as SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjögren’s Syndrome, and in other conditions such as leprosy, tuberculosis, syphilis, malignancy, thyroid disease and in a significant percentage of otherwise normal elderly patients