“ANA’s are some of most commonly ordered tests but what exactly are they and what do you do with a positive ANA? Check out the Editor’s Pick for October to learn more,” says Physician Editor Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS.
Are ANAs More Prevalent in the U.S. Now Than in the Past?
According to a new study, the prevalence of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), the most common biomarker of autoimmunity in the U.S., has increased considerably in recent years among adolescents aged 12–19 years, in both sexes (especially in men), older adults (age ≥50 years) and non-Hispanic whites…
Study Finds ANA-Negative Classification Errors Among Newly Diagnosed Lupus Patients
How laboratories define a serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematous and which assays they use to detect it could contribute to misclassification of patients identified as anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) negative, according to researchers. Most people who have lupus test positive for ANAs as part of an immunology screening for autoimmune disorders. The presence of ANAs…
New Study Reveals Limitations in ANA Test Kits for Lupus
The variability in serological testing for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) is under investigation after unexpected findings were reported from clinical trials of new agents to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In “Assay Variation in the Detection of Antinuclear Antibodies in the Sera of Patients with Established SLE,” David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD, and his colleagues demonstrate…