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Glite Dictionary
rheumatoid factor

rheumatoid factor

6.8
An antibody in the blood often found in people with rheumatoid arthritis that helps doctors decide if they have it
  • noun
  • /ˈruːməˌtoɪd ˈfæktər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : factor reumatoide
  • The doctor explained that a positive rheumatoid factor test can indicate rheumatoid arthritis.
  • patients with positive rheumatoid factor

Examples

  • Immunological investigations were negative for ANCA, Jo-1, Scl-70, rheumatoid factor, and ENA.

    Academic text (2007)

  • 4 (66.7%) patients had positive rheumatoid factor.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis; anti-Citrullinated Cyclic Peptide; rheumatoid factor; health assessment questionnaire

    Academic text (2007)

  • High levels of rheumatoid factor in the blood may suggest an autoimmune condition.

  • Patients with joint pain often undergo a blood test for rheumatoid factor to aid in diagnosis.

Surface Forms

rheumatoid factor singular
rheumatoid factors plural

Morphology

rheumatoid + factor

Knowing 'rheumatoid' (related to rheumatoid arthritis) and 'factor' (an element) allows a learner to infer that this is something associated with rheumatoid arthritis, so the relation is partially transparent. However, the precise sense — that it is a specific autoantibody measured in blood and used diagnostically — is technical and not derivable from the constituents alone, so prior medical exposure is needed for full understanding.

Etymology

Rheumatoid factor names a thing doctors find in the blood of people with joint disease; rheumatoid points to the disease and factor means a substance or thing. Because this thing often shows up when someone has 'rheumatoid arthritis', it acts like a little 'flag' in the blood that helps doctors know the person may have the disease.