title: Standardisation of serological tests for rheumatoid factor measurement.
abstract: Standardisation of quantitative data obtained by several types of rheumatoid factor test was achieved by the use of a reference serum preparation. Interlaboratory comparability improved for the latex fixation test, the Waaler-Rose test, the IgM RF test by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and for the antiperinuclear factor test. Use of a common method and latex preparation was not sufficient to improve comparability for the latex test. The comparability of IgM RF tests by immunofluorescence (IF) was not changed by reading against a common reference. It is concluded that expression in international units, as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), improves interlaboratory comparison of quantitative data in rheumatoid serology.
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000592:standards; D012015:Reference Standards; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; C030902:antiperinuclear factor; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor