Abstract: The invention relates to a method for prognostic evaluation of the disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis, in particular prognostic evaluation of the disease progression during treatment, and for the diagnosis and/or activity determination of rheumatoid arthritis by analysing cytokines from a human full blood sample. In the method according to the invention, a volume of a full blood sample of a human is transferred into at least one test tube containing a stimulating agent. As control samples, the same volume of a full blood sample of the human in each case is transferred into an empty test tube as a negative control and a test tube containing lipopolysaccharide as a positive control respectively. After incubation, the concentration of at least one proinflammatory cytokine is determined from the cell-free residue of each test tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for prognostic evaluation of the disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis, in particular prognostic evaluation of the disease progression during treatment, and for the diagnosis and/or activity determination of rheumatoid arthritis by analysing cytokines from a human full blood sample. In the method according to the invention, a volume of a full blood sample of a human is transferred into at least one test tube containing a stimulating agent. As control samples, the same volume of a full blood sample of the human in each case is transferred into an empty test tube as a negative control and a test tube containing lipopolysaccharide as a positive control respectively. After incubation, the concentration of at least one proinflammatory cytokine is determined from the cell-free residue of each test tube.