Rheumatoid arthritis affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States.1 For most people with RA, early diagnosis and treatment can control joint pain and swelling and lessen joint damage.
Labcorp is your trusted single-source solution for RA testing, from RA diagnosis to disease activity monitoring and treatment management.
Early RA diagnosis and initiation of disease-suppressing therapy may improve clinical outcomes and reduce the accrual of joint damage and disability.2 Labcorp offers several RA-specific markers that, when used in combination, provide industry-leading sensitivity and help support an early diagnosis of RA. Prognosis is dependent on early, accurate diagnosis and establishing an effective treatment plan.3 Diagnosis and classification of RA has relied heavily on anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) IgM.2 New markers are available to better identify patients with RA, stratify patients for risk of joint destruction and/or radiographic progression, and monitor disease activity and effectiveness of treatment.
Achieving a state of disease remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a primary treatment goal. Until the desired treatment target is reached, drug therapy should be adjusted at least every three to six months. The desired treatment target should be maintained throughout the remaining course of the disease. Vectra provides an objective measure of RA inflammation and can be used to complement other disease activity measures.
Vectra is intended to be used at therapy initiation, change in drug therapy, and to monitor a patient once they achieve low disease activity
Although RA treatment is multifaceted, medications play an important role in patient management. Newly developed laboratory assays aid physicians in monitoring use and maximizing effectiveness of both disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics.
Labcorp offers serum measurement of drug and anti-drug antibodies for patients on biologic drug therapy. Drug and anti-drug antibody levels provide the pharmacokinetic and immunogenic assessment that discerns the underlying mechanism of an inadequate response to biologic drug. Testing may be ordered at any time during therapy, though sample collection before the next infusion or injection is recommended.
Rheumatology Services Hotline: 800-338-1918
Vectra® Customer Service: 877-743-8639
References
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased joint movement. The most commonly affected joints are the small joints in the hands and feet. The synovial lining of the joint may become inflamed, causing long-lasting or chronic pain, lack of balance or deformity.1
RA affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States
RA is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis
Early diagnosis and treatment can help control joint pain and swelling and lessen joint damage for most people with RA
Labcorp offers a variety of tests to aid in the diagnosis, management of treatment, and monitoring of disease activity
Early diagnosis is key to slowing the progression of the disease and preventing permanent joint damage, also known as radiographic progression. A clinician will review, assess and discuss symptoms, perform a physical examination, order lab tests and may consider imaging tests, such as an X-ray or ultrasound.
Traditional blood panels for RA diagnosis
Labcorp Specific RA Diagnosis Testing Panels
Your healthcare provider will determine the best course of treatment. Prior to prescribing treatment, a series of tests will be need in order to ensure the treatment is right for you.
Once your healthcare provider has made an RA diagnosis, it is essential to stay engaged with them and discuss treatment options. Monitoring your diseases and symptoms is key to achieving the best outcome possible.
Vectra by Labcorp is an advanced blood test that objectively measures inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Your Vectra score is personalized to you. Because people tend to have higher or lower levels of inflammation based on their age, gender, and level of body fat, each patient’s score is adjusted to account for these differences. Vectra reveals the severity of your RA, how well your current treatment is working and is the best predictor of future joint damage.
Using a molecular assessment, along with assessments by you and your doctor, can provide the most complete view of your RA inflammation.
Between appointments, you may experience frequent ups and downs with your rheumatoid arthritis. Tracking your RA symptoms can help you spot trends in how you feel and function. Having this information can help you and your provider see the bigger picture and know if your treatment plan is working well.8
Learn more about your Vectra score by downloading the Vectra by Labcorp patient brochure
Take a deeper look at your Vectra test results with the Vectra post-test patient education tool
UNDERSTAND YOUR COST
*Our dedicated Labcorp rheumatology service team is waiting to assist
(call center hours are 8am – 7pm ET Monday- Friday)
(877) 348-5191
(855) 522-2677, options 2-3
Newly developed laboratory tests help you and your healthcare provider in monitoring use and maximizing effectiveness of both disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics.
Patients with RA have approximately 50% greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and CVD is the leading cause of death in RA patients.12,13
30% of cardiovascular risk in patients with RA is attributed to systemic inflammation and other RA-related factors. 14
It is important to monitor and learn your risk for a cardiovascular event in the next three years with Vectra Cardiovascular (CV) Risk.
Vectra CV Risk is a validated test that measures proteins in the blood, called biomarkers, to assess your RA inflammation and predict your risk of having a major cardiovascular event (e.g., heart attack or stroke) in the next three years. Vectra CV Risk is the only multi-biomarker based CV risk predictor for RA patients.15
Vectra CV Risk provides an actionable result at point of care that highlights the role of reducing systemic inflammation associated with RA. Vectra CV can be added to your Vectra test for those who are 40 years old or older.
Ask your healthcare provider about the Vectra CV Risk assessment and learn more with the RA and cardiovascular risk sheet.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Accessed July 27, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html.
National Library of Medicine. Blood count test. Medlineplus.gov. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/bloodcounttests.html.
National Library of Medicine. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Medlineplus.gov. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/erythrocyte-sedimentation-rate-esr/.
National Library of Medicine. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test. Medlineplus.gov. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/
National Library of Medicine. Rheumatoid Factor (RF) test. Medlineplus.gov. December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/rheumatoid-factor-rf-test/.
National Library of Medicine. CCP Antibody tests Medlineplus.gov. December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/ccp-antibody-test/.
National Library of Medicine. ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) test. Medlineplus.gov. December 14, 2022. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/ana-antinuclear-antibody-test/.
Grainger R, Townsley H, White B, Langlotz T, Taylor WJ. Apps for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis to Monitor Their Disease Activity: A Review of Apps for Best Practice and Quality. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2017;5(2):e7. Published 2017 Feb 21. doi:10.2196/mhealth.6956
Goodman S. Measuring methotrexate polyglutamates. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010 Sep-Oct; 28 (5 Suppl 61): S24-S26.
De Rotte MCFJ, den Boer E, de Jong PHP, et al. Methotrexate polyglutamates in erythrocytes are associated with lower disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;0:1-7.
Chevaux JB, Peyrin-Biroulet L, Sparrow MP. Optimizing thiopurine therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2011 Jun; 17(6): 1428-1435.
Aviña-Zubieta JA, Choi HK, Sadatsafavi M, Etminan M, Esdaile JM, Lacaille D. Risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;59(12):1690-7.
Andrews LW. What Rheumatoid Arthritis Does to Your Heart. Healthgrades. https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/rheumatoid-arthritis/what-rheumatoid-arthritis-does-to-your-heart. Published October 3, 2019. Accessed September 24, 2020.
Crowson CS, Rollefstad S, Ikdahl E, Kitas GD, van Riel P, Gabriel SE, et al. Impact of risk factors associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77(1):48-54. 3. Crowson CS, Rollefstad S, Ikdahl E, Kitas GD, van Riel P, Gabriel SE, et al. Impact of risk factors associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77(1):48-54.
Curtis JR, Fenglong X, Crowson CS, et al. Derivation and internal validation of a multi-biomarker-based cardiovascular disease risk prediction score for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthritis Research & Therapy. Pending publication