Serological Reactions in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Summary Methods of demonstrating the effect of serum from patients with rheumatoid arthritis on the agglutination of sheep erythrocytes by small amounts of rabbit antisheep-cell serum are described and the influence of certain factors on the reaction is indicated. The degree of agglutination obtained is dependent upon the concentration of antisheep-cell antibody, which should be standardized for this test on the basis of its agglutinating rather than its hemolytic capacity. The property of rheumatoid-arthritis serum affecting the agglutination of sensitized sheep cells was found to be stable on storage for several months.