General Medicine

» Elaine Moore - The ANA Test

Patients who have had ANA tests for several decades are used to the early simplified tests. In 1948, the lupus prep test preceded the ANA. This test was used to show that the white blood cells in lupus could take on changes not normally seen in the blood circulation after being treated with chemicals. The test was rudimentary and most laboratories performed insufficient tests to become proficient at them.
The ANA test is entirely different because we measure the actual protein product created by the immune system as part of the immune response. While these antibodies have specific functions, they also form amazing test results, staining the slides with patterns they dictate.
The pitfalls are that doctors may think every patient they have with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis will have the same ANA profile. This skews diagnosis. In fact, most patients will have ANA results that come and go, rising when the condition worsens and mysteriously retreating during remission. Antibodies may be lodged as immune complexes into tissue rather than freely ciruclating in the blood stream. In this case, tests may need to be repeated several time before the antibodies show up.

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» lolly47 - Subject ANA testing

Elaine
3 years ago nearly to the day,I devolped an embolism in my Left hand.(The fingers became ischamic)and I nearly lost 3 off them.
I underwent 2 Angiograms and was Thromblised.
Heparin pump-tinizaparin and warfarin.
After spending time in the hospital I saw numerous Doctors and specialists,underwent echo-cardiogram,and eventually I was tested for LUPUS.

The reason I found your blogg very interesting is I never got to the resons why I suddenly developed this thrombosis.
I saw a top cardiologist from a London hospital,he asked alot of questions,about my health.
Then he asked if I had ever had or been treated for Cancer,or ever had an abortion.

I felt these question were very strange,as I had neither had cancer nor an abortion.
I asked why,he proceeded to say that my antibodies were turning on me,and causing me problems.
The good antibodies were confused and are attacking healthy tissue and organs,and that he had seen it before in cancer patients or patients who have had abortions.

This has been on my mind for years.
When leaving hospital I was sent to a haemotologist for bloods to be redone as the first test hadn't worked.
This included Antiphoshelipid antibodies?Lupus/phf?/ANA/ANCA.

I was told in the outpatients department that I hadn't got Lupus,but I was still a mystery.
I was then sent to the orthopaedic clinic after having an MRI scan on my neck.As the vascular Dr thought the clot could have come from my neck.

The ortho doctor said it was just a degenrative neck problem and will require physio from time to time,this has been an ongoing problem for years.And that Dr said she didn't think the thrombosis had anything at all to do with my neck.

I was on warfarin for a good 6 months and I'm now on clopidgrel to thin the blood.

I see all of this as a connection somewere,but have never got a definative answer from the experts.

I now have Graves Disease with TED Diagnosed in october 05 is this the connection?
I ask myself this every day?
Was the testing I had correct especially the ANA test?
Had I got Graves Disease then or some form of thyroidism and it went undetected?.
Or could Rheumatoid Artheritis be the culprit?.
It certainly wasn't Lupus.
Yours Lorraine

-- posted by lolly47

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» Elaine Moore - Subject ANA testing

In response to Subject ANA testing posted by lolly47:

Hi Lolly,
It sounds like you started out with an autoimmune clotting disorder. The antibodies that cause this are collectively called lupus anticoagulant, which is a misleading term because it can occur as a syndrome on its own and in other disorders besides lupus.
I'm going to write an article on this soon (our daughter is coming to visit today for the long weekend) but the basic antibody test used to screen this are anticardiolipin antibodies and antiphospholipid antibodies, and we also run dvvt and factor v leidin tests.

These antibodies are the primary cause of stroke, clotting disorders and miscarriages in young women. The antibodies promote clot formation. Treatment is usually simle if the disorder is diagnosed. Heparin and aspirin are the treatments usually used.

And as with all autoimmune disorders, antibody production can rise and fall at different times so symptoms can vary, resolve spontaneously, or return.

You may have had a positive ANA as part of the early development of an autoimmune thyroid disorder, in your case Graves disease. Antiphospholipid syndrome often occurs in people with Graves' since we often develop more than one thyroid disorder. And anything you do to improve your immune system health, like using ATDs or avoiding known or suspected allergens, using antioxidant vitamins, and incorporating stress reduction techniques will benefit both conditions.

As in the case of the child with aplastic anemia in one of my other articles, it's not unusual for both disorders to resolve when Graves' is successfully treated. Hope this helps, and remember it's important to avoid becoming hypothyroid from Graves' treatment since this encourages autoantibody production. Best, Elaine

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» lolly47 - Subject ANA testing

In response to Subject ANA testing posted by daisyelaine:

Hi Elaine
Thankyou for this explaination it now makes perfect sense,I only wish the medical profession could have been more explantary about my condition.
Instead I've had to search around for Causes and reasons of this unexplained syndrome.For 3 years and you answered in 3 days just amazing.

I look forward to reading your next issue on this and related subjects.

I hope you have a lovely time with your daughter this weekend.

Yes you have helped me,more than I could ever express,you have put my mind at ease answered all those unanswered questions,and made my day.
So I just want to thankyou again,it means alot to me.
Maybe now I can get on with my life,keep myself out of HYPO and strive for remission.
All the best Lorraine

-- posted by lolly47

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» Elaine Moore - Subject ANA testing

In response to Subject ANA testing posted by lolly47:

Hi Lolly,
I'm glad I was able to help. Watch for the article on ANA patterns in the next few days. Best, Elaine

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