What does a positive rheumatoid factor test result mean?

Auto-immune response: Rheumatoid factor is one of the auto-immune responses, however, it may also develop as a some what normal respose to infection. Any lab test needs to be evaluated in the context of the whole clinical picture and a positive rheumatoid factor, by itself, is not diagnostic of any disease. It supports a diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune disorders.