SAA (serum amyloid A): the liver protein in inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis
According to the laboratory of Leeds Teaching Hospitals (NHS), liver cells release serum amyloid A (SAA) in the acute phase, when the body responds to inflammation. According to Leeds, SAA is the precursor of amyloid A fibres.
According to Leeds, the amount of SAA in the blood rises greatly in many inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Only a blood test shows whether SAA is raised.
At Unilabs, the reference value for SAA is below 4 mg/l.
Doctor's Assessment Included
Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a protein that liver cells release in the acute phase of inflammation, and the precursor of the amyloid A fibres in amyloidosis. According to Leeds Teaching Hospitals, SAA rises greatly in many inflammatory diseases.
- Unilabs uses a limit of below 4 mg/l for SAA.
- According to Leeds, up to 10% of people with sustained high SAA values may eventually develop AA amyloidosis.
- According to a 2019 review, SAA tests are usually used together with other biomarkers.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): what Dutch laboratories use
There is no nationally agreed reference value; this is what individual laboratories publish.
| Laboratory | Group | Reference value (mg/l) | Relative scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unilabs | · Everyone · a limit, not a range | < 4 mg/l |
4
|
Source: Unilabs
Each value as the laboratory itself publishes it, retrieved in 2026.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): what this test measures
An SAA result is the concentration of serum amyloid A in the serum, expressed in mg/l at Unilabs and Leeds. Unilabs sends the sample to UMC Groningen, where SAA is measured with ELISA.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): why this value matters
SAA matters in rheumatoid arthritis, because Leeds names the test for people at risk of amyloidosis and gives rheumatoid arthritis as an example.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): how the blood test works
- Referral
- No GP referral needed. After the order we arrange the referral through ZorgDomein, within one business day; orders after 17:00 or at the weekend start on the next business day. ZorgDomein emails a barcode, and that barcode is what the draw site needs.
- The draw
- A blood draw from a vein in the arm, at a partner laboratory's draw site. No home kit, no finger prick.
- Where
- 650+ draw sites run by independent laboratories across the Netherlands. Draw sites
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): when is testing worthwhile?
According to Leeds, an SAA test belongs where amyloidosis is a risk, and Leeds advises reading the result alongside the medical history, kidney function and other acute-phase proteins.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): symptoms of a high or low value
Low Levels
For a low SAA, under the Unilabs upper limit of 4 mg/l, the sources read name no cause or abnormality.
High Levels
According to Leeds, a raised SAA fits inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and according to Leeds sustained high SAA values may eventually lead to AA amyloidosis in up to 10% of people.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): causes of a low or high value
What raises the value
-
Inflammatory diseases, for example rheumatoid arthritis
The amount of SAA in the blood rises greatly in many inflammatory diseases, for example rheumatoid arthritis.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): lifestyle and this value
See your GP with a raised SAA, so the result can be put next to the medical history and kidney function, as Leeds advises.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): frequently asked questions
When is SAA measured in rheumatoid arthritis?
According to Leeds, SAA is measured when there is a risk of amyloidosis, for example in rheumatoid arthritis, although according to Leeds the SAA value does not predict whether amyloid A fibres form.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A): sources
- Unilabs, Bepalingenklapper (referentiewaarden per bepaling), bepalingenklapper.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) bepalingenklapper.nl
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Pathology, Amyloid A Protein (SAA), leedsth.nhs.uk, geraadpleegd 2026-10-16 (retrieved 2026) leedsth.nhs.uk
See Lunarahealth more often in Google
Add us as a preferred source. Google will then show our articles more often in your search results and in AI overviews. You can turn this off again at any time.
That did not work. Please try again.
Medical reviewer
Medical standards
Dr. Naimi oversees the medical standards behind our content and assessments.
Medical policy
Welzijn en Sport Official BIG registration BIG 49928676701 Opens in a new tab
Doctor's Assessment Included
Every result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.
SAA (Serum Amyloid A)
€49,-