ANA Blot 18 Antigen Test in Kalamboli

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

Your doctor may recommend this test for you if he sees the symptoms of systemic auto immune disease which include:

• Low-grade fever
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Joint pain
• Red rash
• Skin sensitivity to light
• Hair loss
• Muscle pain
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a group 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 such as tissue and organ inflammation, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. ANA specifically target substances found in the nucleus of a cell, hence the name "antinuclear." The ANA test identifies the presence of these autoantibodies in 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 lupus erythematosus (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.