A 41-year-old Caucasian female presents to the office with a recent 10-pound weight loss, fatigue, and dry mouth. Upon further examination, the provider discovers that the patient has a low-grade fever and redness along the MCP joints bilaterally. When asked about joint pain, the patient reports that her PIP, MCP, and shoulders hurt bilaterally for about 2 hours each morning. What lab test should the provider order on this patient to make the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

ANA is non-specific for Rheumatoid Arthritis, a positive ANA helps diagnose patients with systemic lupus erythematousus and other autoinmunne diseases (Bloch, 2016). RF is moderately specific for Rheumatoid Arthritis, but it may also indicate a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and primary Sjögren's syndrome. Anti-dsDNA and anti-ssDNA are highly specific for the diagnosis of SLE, not Rheumatoid Arthritis. Therefore, answer B is correct.

A 41-Year-Old Caucasian Female Presents to the Office with a Recent