ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) in Dehradun

What is a ANA (Antinuclear Antibody)?

Antinuclear antibodies are antibodies aimed at structures inside your own cell nuclei. Their presence indicates that the immune system has lost some of its tolerance for the body's own tissue, which is the defining feature of autoimmune disease. ANA is the standard first-line screen for that whole family of conditions, and it is a good screen precisely because it is very sensitive: it is positive in almost everyone with systemic lupus erythematosus, which means a negative result makes lupus most unlikely. The cost of that sensitivity is poor specificity, and this is where the test is routinely misunderstood. A low-titre positive ANA occurs in a substantial minority of entirely healthy people, more often in women and increasingly with age, and it also appears in thyroid disease, chronic infections, liver disease and as a reaction to certain medicines. A positive ANA in someone without symptoms is therefore usually not disease. What makes a result meaningful is the titre, how strongly positive it is, the pattern seen under the microscope, and above all whether there are symptoms to explain. Specific follow-up antibodies then narrow the diagnosis.

Why take this test?

An ANA is advised when symptoms suggest a systemic autoimmune condition rather than out of general curiosity. Those symptoms include persistent joint pain and swelling, prolonged unexplained fever, a rash across the cheeks and nose that worsens in sunlight, marked sun sensitivity, mouth ulcers that keep returning, hair loss, fingers turning white then blue in the cold, unexplained kidney abnormalities, pleuritic chest pain, or profound fatigue with several of these together. It is used in the assessment of suspected lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, autoimmune hepatitis and juvenile arthritis. It should not be ordered as part of a general health check: doing so in someone well produces positives that mean nothing and cause considerable anxiety. If your ANA is positive, take it to a doctor, ideally a rheumatologist, rather than researching it alone, because the interpretation depends almost entirely on the clinical picture surrounding it.

• Persistent joint pain and swelling with systemic symptoms
• A rash across the cheeks and nose, or marked sun sensitivity
• Recurrent mouth ulcers, hair loss or unexplained prolonged fever
• Fingers turning white then blue in the cold
• Suspected lupus, Sjogren's, scleroderma or autoimmune hepatitis
• Not appropriate as part of a routine health check

Normal reference ranges

Ranges are indicative for adults. Your report carries the lab-specific reference range and is reviewed by a LabONE pathologist; always interpret results with your doctor.

FAQs: ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) in Dehradun