There are different types of blood tests performed to determine if a person has specific types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the only type of arthritis that cannot be determined by a blood test, according to webmd.com.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
According to webmd.com's "Blood Tests to Diagnose Arthritis," certain types of antibodies are found in 70 to 90 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis, or RA. There is a test available that measures antibody levels that bind cyclic citrulline peptides. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the anti-CCP is the "best predictor of which patients will go on to develop severe RA."
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, or ESR, shows the amount of inflammation in the human body, according to webmd.com. In a healthy person, the ESR is low. However in the blood test of a person with arthritis, the ESR gets higher with the amount of inflammation in the body.
C-reactive Protein (CRP)
C-reactive Protein, or CRP, is another way of measuring inflammation. High CRP is evidence of high inflammation in the body and a sure way of detecting arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, according to "Blood Tests to Diagnose Arthritis."
HLA-B27
HLA-B27 is a factor found in patients who have arthritis of the spine and joints. According to "Blood Tests to Diagnose Arthritis," this factor is found in 90 percent of people with spine arthritis, as well as in patients who have psoriatic arthritis.
Cryoglobulins
Cryoglobulins are another antibody that a blood test can detect. Cryoglobulins can be found in patients that have rheumatoid arthritis. However, further blood tests may be done upon the finding of cryoglobulins, as they are not exclusive to RA sufferers. They can also be found in those suffering from lupus, hepatitis B and other diseases, according to webmd.com.
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