Question
I have had lab and xray work for shoulder & hip pain, results of xrays normal. Blood work normal except for RA Factor 91.3, ESR 26, TSH normal, Glucose 116 (fasting), GFR Non African- American 81, ANA Normal along with everything else. They are sending me to a rheumatologist and from what I have researched online these numbers could be almost anything, could you please help me to sort this out some before I go not knowing anything. I have had high blood pressure on medication for along time, and COPD I'm 49 and active. I have also seen a dermatologist for skin spots that change and they say they are not cancerous from biopsies but they are annoying and itchy and get sore. Could all of this be combined into one thing that may be causing it all ? Don't know family history as parents died young but have my own children and want to be able to protect them from whatever is going on with me. Please help me figure this all out.....Thank you in advance !

Answer
Donna,

Yes, all of these things can be caused by a couple of different types of autoimmune arthritis. Psoriasis and lupus can cases both joint pain and skin conditions. They results of your tests are do not contradict either of these conditions. They could also be separate conditions as well. An RA factor of 91 strongly suggests some type of autoimmune condition. While elevated RA is consistent with Rheumatoid arthritis it can also be elevated in other types of autoimmune conditions. These conditions can be very hard to diagnose and as you mentioned they results you have so far can be consistent with several conditions. I wish I could help you narrow it down but it is hard enough for a specialist to do when seeing a patient and impossible to do over the internet.

I wish you the best

Rusty