Laboratory tests for rheumatic diseases.

Abstract

Preview Laboratory testing to aid the diagnosis of rheumatic disease represents an area of considerable controversy in the United States. There is growing recognition that "overtesting" contributes to the rising costs of healthcare and that strategies need to be developed to optimize use of the increasing number of available tests. In this article, the authors discuss some of the commonly ordered tests for rheumatic diseases, focusing on their usefulness, sensitivity, and specificity.