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Quest Diagnostics

Arthritis & rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis testing: from diagnosis to prognosis and monitoring

We understand arthritis is one of the main reasons patients may find themselves in your office. In fact, arthritis affects more than 20% of American adults—over 50 million people. It is also one of the most common health complaints in the United States, and the leading cause of disability.1,2

That’s why Quest Diagnostics is committed to helping you quickly identify the source of your patients’ symptoms, allowing you to speed treatment and minimize the impact of disease. From first-line tests to monitoring, turn to Quest for the right test for the right patient at the right time.

A portfolio to support differential diagnosis

More than 100 different diseases fall under the umbrella term “arthritis.”3 Their symptoms can be similar, making diagnosis challenging—and speed to diagnosis critical—to ensure timely management of symptoms and disease progression. Our growing portfolio of tests can help you distinguish between different forms of arthritis, speeding diagnosis and time to treatment.

Comprehensive arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis testing portfolio

Treat rheumatoid arthritis early to help slow joint erosion


Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—the inflammatory “flaring” arthritis—is a systemic autoimmune disease. Approximately 165,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States.4 All parts of the body can be affected, including the heart and lungs, but RA is often characterized by symmetrical finger and wrist pain. One of the most potentially devastating forms of arthritis, it typically appears in the third and fourth decades of life and affects women more frequently than men.

Quest offers a full suite of testing for RA.

Rheumatoid arthritis tests:

Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (CCP) Antibody
Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnostic Panel 2
Rheumatoid Factor
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR or sed rate)
ANA, IFA, Cascade and Rheumatoid Arthritis Panel 2, with Reflexes
Pre-biologic/biosimilar Screen Panel, HCV/HBV with Reflexes and QFT 1 tube*
Pre-biologic/biosimilar Screen Panel, HCV/HBV with Reflexes and QFT 4 tubes*

*Panel components may be ordered separately.

Get the differential diagnosis you need for osteoarthritis


Known as the “wear and tear” arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 30 million Americans.5

Many symptoms of OA and RA overlap, including pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. These similarities can cause difficulty when differentiating the diseases. Differential diagnosis of OA and RA is important because treatments differ.6

Depending on the joint, classification criteria may include joint symptoms (pain, stiffness, swelling, enlargement, deformation), age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, radiologic findings (presence of osteophytes or narrowing of joint space), synovial fluid tests (color, appearance, white blood cell count), and the sensation of crackling in the joint (crepitus).7

In addition, some laboratory markers are elevated in RA patients but normal in OA patients. A positive or elevated result for rheumatoid factor or cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody may suggest inflammatory arthritis, such as RA, rather than OA.

Osteoarthritis tests:

Synovial fluid
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR or Sed Rate)

Identify psoriatic arthritis with emerging biomarker testing


Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) occurs in about 10% to 20% of people with psoriasis.8 While PsA is similar to RA, it is more serious, because it extends to the joints, ligaments, and tendons.

Evaluation of a patient for psoriatic arthritis may include a personal and family history and a physical exam. Helpful laboratory tests include9:

  • Rheumatoid factor and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody to rule out RA
  • C-reactive protein and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate to document inflammation
  • Hemoglobin or CBC to test for anemia

Psoriatic arthritis tests:

 

Rheumatoid Factor
Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (CCP) Antibody (IgG)
Hemoglobin
CBC

The power of Quest

Innovative solutions

Diagnosing and treating arthritis is complex, in part due to overlapping clinical symptoms. Quest offers an extensive portfolio of testing services to help you diagnose and differentiate the most common types of arthritis—so you can effectively identify, treat, and monitor the disease.

Better outcomes

We are committed to helping you deliver the best possible care to your patients. That’s why Quest has a staff of more than 600 medical experts available for test selection and results interpretation that transcends the patient continuum of care.

Improved experiences

Our dedicated team of trained rheumatology account executives is exclusively focused on supporting you and your staff to help make test selection and reporting of complex results seamless for you and your patients.

Accessible testing

We know that your patients deserve an answer. Serving more than 160 million patients annually, we are in-network with nearly every major insurer so patients can access the advanced testing options and trusted results they need. 

References

 

  1. Barbour K, Helmick CG, Boring M, et al. Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation - United States, 2013-2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1
  2. Courtney-Long E, Carroll DD, Zhang QC, et al. Prevalence of disability and disability type among adults—United States, 2013. MMWR Mort Wkly Rep. 2015;64(29):777-783. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6429a2
  3. CDC. Arthritis types. Updated February 20, 2019. Accessed September 3, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/types.html
  4. Alamanos Y, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA. Incidence and prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis, based on the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria: a systematic review. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2006;36(3):182-188. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2006.08.006
  5. CDC. Osteoarthritis. Reviewed July 27, 2020. Accessed September 3, 2021. http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/osteoarthritis.htm
  6. Hochberg MC, Altman RD, April KT, et al. American College of Rheumatology 2012 recommendations for the use of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies in osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64(4):465-474. doi:10.1002/acr.21596
  7. Hunter DJ, Nevitt M, Losina E, et al. Biomarkers for osteoarthritis: current position and steps towards further validation. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2014;28(1):61-71. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2014.01.007
  8. Mease P. Update on treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Bull NYU Hosp Jt Dis. 2012;70(3):167-171. 
  9. American College of Rheumatology. Psoriatic arthritis. Updated March 2019. Accessed March 19, 2014 http://www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/Diseases_And_Conditions/Psoriatic_Arthritis/

 

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Quest® is the brand name used for services offered by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated and its affiliated companies. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated and certain affiliates are CLIA-certified laboratories that provide HIPAA-covered services.  Other affiliates operated under the Quest® brand, such as Quest Consumer Inc., do not provide HIPAA-covered services. 

 

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