What Does My Vectra Score Mean?
Understanding Low, Moderate,
and High Disease Activity
Understanding the Vectra Test
Click on Your Score to Learn What It Means for Your RA Treatment
There are several tests available to measure rheumatoid arthritis disease activity (RA), so you might be wondering: Why did my doctor order a Vectra test for me? Unlike other tests such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which only measure levels of inflammation, the Vectra test measures multiple “biomarkers” at the same time. This can paint a more detailed picture of how your RA disease activity is affecting you now and — importantly — help predict your risk of future joint damage and other complications.
Your Vectra score can help you and your doctor understand how your RA is doing, so together you can improve your symptoms and prevent RA disease progression. Your Vectra score can reveal how you’re responding to your current treatment. If your score is moderate or high, your doctor can consider adjusting your medication, for example.
MY VECTRA SCORE IS
LOW
1-29
What Does a Low Vectra Score Mean?
If your Vectra score is between 1 and 29, that means you have low disease activity and inflammation. This is great news.
Low disease activity is a goal for most patients with rheumatoid arthritis because it means that your RA symptoms are more likely to be under control, your risk of long-term joint damage and inflammation is lower, and you are on the path to maintaining a good quality of life.
When you have low disease activity, no treatment change may be needed. You can talk to your doctor about maintaining your current treatment or perhaps even lowering your dosage or stopping your medication. It’s helpful to have another Vectra test in 6 to 12 months to continue to monitor your disease activity. Multiple Vectra tests over time that indicate you are still in low disease activity is a sign that your treatment is continuing to be successful for you.
If your Vectra score was low but you are still experiencing joint pain, stiffness, or fatigue, another condition might be the culprit.
For example, many people with RA may also have osteoarthritis, which can cause pain and stiffness in the joints and loss of mobility. Other conditions that can cause joint pain — but don’t involve inflammation — include fibromyalgia, mechanical low back pain, bursitis, tendinitis, and joint injuries. Many other health problems can cause fatigue as well, including thyroid issues, anemia, and diabetes.
If you’re confused because your test result says that your RA disease activity is low, but you still have some symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness, or fatigue, talk to your doctor. They can help figure out if your symptoms are related to your RA despite your test results, or do other testing to see whether other health problems could be to blame.
What If I Still Have RA Symptoms?
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MY VECTRA SCORE IS
MODERATE
30-44
What Does a Moderate Vectra Score Mean?
If your Vectra score is between 30 and 44, that means that you have moderate disease activity and inflammation. While low disease activity is ideal, your score is not as concerning as high disease activity. However, there are still important next steps you can take to lower your Vectra score. Lowering your Vectra score from a moderate level (30 to 44) to a low level (1-29) means that your RA disease activity and inflammation is decreasing. This puts you at a lower risk of joint damage and other long-term complications.
With a Vectra score in the moderate category, you may or may not need a change in your treatment plan. You can talk to your doctor about your Vectra score (and whether it has increased or decreased over time), other test results, your physical exam, and your current symptoms to determine together whether you think your current treatment is helping and you want to give it more time before considering a change.
If you had a Vectra test previously and your latest score is not better by at least 8 points, it may indicate that your RA may not be responding to your current treatment. Talk to your doctor to consider increasing your medication dosage, adding additional medications, or changing to a new medication.
If you had a Vectra test previously and your latest score did improve by at least 8 points, this may indicate that your treatment plan is working and that you should continue with it. Talk to your doctor about getting another Vectra test in 3 months.
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MY VECTRA SCORE IS
HIGH
45-100
What Does a High Vectra Score Mean?
If your Vectra score is between 45 and 100, that means that that you have high RA disease activity and inflammation. This puts you at an increased risk for permanent joint damage and other long-term complications.
Your high disease activity could mean that your RA may not be responding to your current treatment. Talk to your doctor about making changes to your treatment plan, which could include increasing your medication dosage, adding additional medications, or changing to a new medication.
If you had a Vectra test previously and your latest score is not better by at least 8 points, it may indicate your current treatment isn’t improving your RA. Talk to your doctor about making changes to your current treatment plan.
What If My Vectra Score Is High But I Have Few Symptoms?
In addition to measuring disease activity, Vectra also measures inflammation. It’s a common mistake to assume that high levels of inflammation are the same as high levels of pain. It is possible to have moderate or high levels of underlying inflammation without experiencing a lot of pain or other rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. That’s one reason that tests like Vectra are beneficial — because they can reveal what’s happening to your RA on a cellular level even if you feel OK day to day. Over time, this chronic, underlying inflammation can wreak havoc on your joints and organs like your heart and lungs.
In this scenario, your doctor may recommend a change in your treatment to get your inflammation under control.
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About CreakyJoints
This patient guide to understanding your Vectra score was brought to you by CreakyJoints and Myriad Genetics, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company with corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, which makes the Vectra test.
CreakyJoints is a digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research. We represent patients through our popular social media channels, our website CreakyJoints.org, and the 50-State Network, which includes nearly 1,500 trained volunteer patient, caregiver and healthcare activists.
As part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, CreakyJoints also has a patient-reported outcomes registry called ArthritisPower® with nearly 25,000 consented arthritis patients who track their disease while volunteering to participate in longitudinal and observational research. CreakyJoints also publishes the popular “Raising the Voice of Patients” series, which are downloadable patient-centered navigational tools for managing chronic illness. For more information and to become a member (for free), visit CreakyJoints.org. To participate in our patient-centered research program, visit ArthritisPower.org.
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Part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation.
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. CreakyJoints.org is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
This patient guide to understanding your Vectra score was brought to you by CreakyJoints, a patient organization that is part of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Global Healthy Living Foundation. The guide was created with support from Myriad Genetics, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company with corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, which makes the Vectra test. Our goal is to help you better understand your RA, so together you and your doctor can make the best decisions for your health.
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. CreakyJoints.org is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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