There are people who have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but unfortunately, the test results come back as normal, i.e., the reports do not show RA factor in the blood. In that case, they might be having seronegative arthritis.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 18% of people live with rheumatoid arthritis, out of which 70% are women. So, what is the disease all about? Let’s understand that first.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune condition that mainly happens when the immune system of an individual fails to work properly and starts attacking the lining of the joints. The condition is usually present with pain in the joints, though sometimes, it might affect other parts of the body such as the eyes, lungs, skin and heart, says Dr. Amitabha Saha, a top rheumatoid arthritis doctor in Kolkata.
The common diagnostic procedure to detect rheumatoid arthritis is through a blood test that checks for RA factors and anti-CCP antibodies present in individuals with this condition. The test results that usually come out are of two types: seropositive and seronegative.
If you are seronegative for rheumatoid arthritis, it makes it difficult for health providers to diagnose your condition. Being seronegative means that your body either does not have RA factor or anti-CPPs at all, or it might be present in negligible amounts, which is not enough to confirm the condition. In that case, a rheumatoid arthritis doctor in Kolkata recommends additional tests to look for inflammation or joint damage.
Recent research even suggests that people who are prone to gaining weight or who smoke regularly are more likely to have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.
No matter whether you have seropositive or seronegative arthritis, the symptoms of both types are quite similar.
In some cases, patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis have milder symptoms than those with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. However, that’s not the case for all individuals. It is to be noted that these symptoms vary over time and affect individuals differently.
The treatment option for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is similar to seropositive. The techniques mainly focus on reducing the severity of the symptoms and preventing further progress of the condition to reduce complications. Some common treatment approaches include the following:
Arthritis is hard to diagnose for patients whose test reports come out as seronegative. Hence, as soon as you start experiencing joint pain, make sure to consult a rheumatoid arthritis doctor in Kolkata. The earlier you begin with the treatment plan, the more likely you will go into remission than those who are delayed.