Seropositive arthropathies

Seropositive arthropathy is a term often used in clinical practice and relates to inflammatory joint conditions in which serum rheumatoid factor (RF) is present. This term probably originates from evolving nomenclatures and classification criteria for inflammatory joint diseases. The alternative, described as seronegative arthropathies, are distinctly different musculoskeletal disorders, often called spondyloarthropathies. The purpose of this article is to selectively describe seropositive arthropathies as a group of conditions rather than to review each condition in depth. To further understand seropositive arthropathies, it is essential to understand RF in more detail. This review article explores the basic clinical sciences and clinical manifestations of seropositive arthropathies with references to key studies.