What level of ANA indicates lupus?

The initial requirement of the criteria for lupus diagnosis is a positive ANA test with a titer of at least 80. The numerical value of the titer refers to the ratio of blood serum being evaluated to a dilution agent.

What is a positive ANA test for lupus?

If your doctor says your ANA test is “positive,” that means you have antinuclear antibodies in your blood — but it doesn't necessarily mean you have lupus. In fact, a large portion of patients with a positive ANA do not have lupus.

Is ANA High in lupus?

Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies to the nuclei of your cells. 98% of all people with systemic lupus have a positive ANA test, making it the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming diagnosis of the disease.

What does ANA titer 1 640 mean?

In our laboratory, an ANA titer of 1:640 is defined as a “high titer” because of a 0.5% prevalence of positives in normal individuals.

What does ANA titer 1 320 mean?

A positive ANA was defined as a titer ≥ 1:80. ANA were classified as weakly (1:80 or 1:160), moderately (1:320 or 1:640) or strongly (≥1:1280) positive. Specific autoantibodies against nuclear antigens were detected with second-step assays according to the ANA staining pattern.

Lupus - Signs

What does ANA titer 1 80 mean?

The ANA test is used specifically for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE). A positive ANA titer (> 1:80) with the associated clinical signs (e.g. skin disease, polyarthritis) and laboratory findings (e.g. proteinuria, thrombocytopenia) is diagnostic for SLE.

What does ANA titer 1 160 mean?

Titers ≥ 1:160 usually indicate the presence of active SLE, although occasionally other autoimmune disease may induce these high titers. There are now known groups of ANA-negative lupus patients.

What is the normal range for ANA titer?

Normal Results

Titres are reported in ratios, most often 1:40, 1:80, 1:160, 1:320, and 1:640. Some, but not all labs will report a titre above 1:160 as positive. Patterns that are reported include, homogeneous, speckled, centromere, and others.

What is considered a high ANA number?

Step 1: Is the ANA test positive? A titer of 1:160 or above is commonly considered a positive test result. Other conditions with ANA associations include Crohn's disease, mononucleosis, subacute bacterial endocarditis, tuberculosis, and lymphoproliferative diseases.

What does ANA titer 40 mean?

A low ANA titer (1:40 to 1:80) may be associated with preclinical disease or lack of disease. Some normal people have a low level of ANA. Thus, the presence of a low level of ANA is not always abnormal. ANA is reported as a "titer".

What does an ANA titer of 1 100 mean?

A laboratory that begins at 1:40 may call a test positive, while a laboratory that begins at 1:100 would call it negative. Most lupus patients have very strongly positive tests – essentially always more than 1:80, often more than 1:5120. Most laboratories count 1:80 and higher as clearly positive.

Is a 1 320 ANA High?

ANA results are reported using a titer, such as 1:320. Generally, the higher the titer, the more likely the patient is to have a connective tissue disorder. The titer shows how many times the patient's serum was diluted before the antibodies could no longer be detected.

Is a titer of 1 160 high speckled?

We suggest that ANA tests showing speckled pattern should be at a 1:160 titer or higher to be considered positive; other patterns such as homogeneous, peripheral, or centromeric might be considered positive even at low titers (</=1:40) although this needs investigation.

What does ANA titer of 1280 mean?

A high titer (1:1280 is high) is more likely to be associated with autoimmune diseases. Rheumatologists will usually try to get more information, using specific tests in people with such high titers, looking for lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, and it sounds like yours did so and got negative results, which is good news.

What is borderline lupus mean?

Borderline lupus, which can also be known as unspecified connective tissue disease, or probable lupus, or latent lupus, would define a patient who may have a positive ANA without a DNA or Smith antibody (blood tests used to diagnose lupus), who has arthralgias rather than arthritis, a brain fog or memory loss, and no ...

What ANA titer is significant?

Titers of 1:80 or lower are less likely to be significant. (ANA titers of less than or equal to 1:40 are considered negative.) Even higher titers are often insignificant in patients over 60 years of age.

How do you read ANA results?

Your test is positive if it finds antinuclear antibodies in your blood. A negative result means it found none. A positive test doesn't mean that you have an autoimmune condition. Between 3% and 15% of people with no conditions have antinuclear antibodies.

What labs are abnormal with lupus?

A low white blood cell or platelet count may occur in lupus as well. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This blood test determines the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a tube in an hour. A faster than normal rate may indicate a systemic disease, such as lupus.

What is an abnormal ANA titer?

If the test finds antinuclear antibodies in your blood, it may mean you have an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder causes your immune system to attack your own cells, tissues, and/or organs by mistake. These disorders can cause serious health problems.

What is a weak positive ANA test?

Weakly positive: 1.1-2.9 U. Positive: 3.0-5.9 U. Strongly positive: ≥6.0 U.

Should I be worried about a positive ANA test?

The presence of antinuclear antibodies is a positive test result. But having a positive result doesn't mean you have a disease. Many people with no disease have positive ANA tests — particularly women older than 65.

How do you rule out lupus?

Your doctor will look for rashes and other signs that something is wrong. Blood and urine tests. The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can show if your immune system is more likely to make the autoantibodies of lupus. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA.

How do rheumatologists diagnose lupus?

The rheumatologist will take a thorough history of your symptoms and do a physical exam looking for the signs and symptoms of lupus. They will also run blood tests to check for indications of lupus. The first blood test a rheumatologist will conduct to check for lupus is called an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test.

Do I have lupus checklist?

Common signs and symptoms of lupus

Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time) Pain or swelling in the joints. Swelling in the hands, feet, or around the eyes. Headaches.

What is the lowest ANA titer?

ANA is reported as a "titer". Low titers are in the range of 1:40 to 1:60. A positive ANA test is of much more importance if you also have antibodies against the double-stranded form of DNA. The presence of ANA does not confirm a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).