ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) Test in Fort

To evaluate for certain autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren syndrome, among other types.

Your doctor may recommend this test if he thinks you have the symptoms of lupus or another autoimmune disorder. These symptoms include:

• Fever
• Red, butterfly-shaped rash (a symptom of lupus)
• Fatigue
• Joint pain and swelling
• Muscle pain

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a gaggle of antibodies produced by an individual's system when it fails to adequately distinguish between "self" and "nonself." These antibodies, referred to as autoantibodies, attack the body's own healthy cells and cause signs and symptoms like tissue and organ inflammation, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. ANA specifically target substances found within the nucleus of a cell, hence the name "antinuclear." The ANA test identifies the presence of those autoantibodies within the blood. The presence of ANA could also be a marker of an autoimmune process and is related to several autoimmune disease s but is most ordinarily seen with the autoimmune disorder systemic LE (SLE).

The ANA test is one among the first tests for helping to diagnose a suspected autoimmune disease or ruling out other conditions with similar signs and symptoms. As such, it's often followed by other tests for autoantibodies which will help to determine a diagnosis. These may include, for instance, an ENA panel, anti-dsDNA, anti-centromere and/or anti-histone test.