Antinuclear Antibodies Direct

[jewels]

My doctor sent me for an ANA blood test and this is what came back from the lab:

Antinuclear Antibodies Direct
limits: 0-99
Negative: <100
Equivocal: 100-120
Positive: >120

Mine was 1,075 - reported High

How is this test different from the ANA tests with the titer levels (1:80, 1:160, etc)?:unsure:

Any imput would be greatly appreciated!

Julie

[Lily]

Hi Julie,

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:PZd0_Zd...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 (http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:PZd0_ZdE04IJ:www.labcorp.com/pdf/LabHorizons_April_2005_Vol_V_No2.pdf+direct+ANA+te sting&hl=en&ie=UTF-8)

make of it what you will :wacko: sounds like it a new way of interpreting and reporting.

love
Lily :flowers:

[redrose77]

Anyone know if all labs are converting to this new method? I wish they had put it in laymans terms are they still diluting the sample until the antibody disappears or are they counting the number present? Or is it something completely new and different? Oh well, maybe our doctors will explain it all to us.

[jewels]

Thanks so much for the URL. I had searched the net from different search engines till I was blue in the face and didn't come up with that URL. It sounds like it's a much better way of interpreting the test but I'd love to find out how the results compare to the old titer levers. You'd think that if norm is a high of 120 and you get a result of 1,075 it would be significant but who knows.

Thank you again so much!

Julie :D

[MBarbee]

I had that exact test done also and mine came back high,too. Not as high as yours but still positive. I have an appointment with the rheumatologist on Wednesday so maybe she will shed some light on the issue. My understanding of whay I read on the website was that if you have symptoms and a positive ANA Direct that it is a more positive test for Lupus than the old titer test. I could be totally wrong, but that is what my take is on it.

If anyone finds any more info, please post it.

Thanks.

[jewels]

I decided to email my old Rheumy in Chicago and ask him about the ANA Direct test ... so much for that idea. Here's his reply:

Dear Julie,
This is clearly abnormal and will probably be followed by more specific testing. There are many different test systems out there, so I am hesitant to compare; clearly, it's abnormal. ge

Oh well ... :erm:

Julie

[Lily]

He's a wealth of information with that reply isnt he ;) :unsure: :lol:

Good luck, if you do find out anything pls let me know because there is someone else who was tested by that method and they are curious too.

love
Lily

[Clare.T]

It would be interesting to know if it is more reliable or how it is an improvement on other ANA test methods.
I read somwewhere that one lupus doctor doesn't take much notice because ANA tests aren't reliable but I have no idea how common that view is.
I thik he meant that it is just one part of the diagnostic process.

Whatever the method, the main thing is that positive results clearly indicate the need for further antibody testing and the higher the titre the more likely it is caused by a connective tissue disease.

Good Luck
Clare

[3forme]

There have been REMARKABLE advances made in medical imaging in the past decade. Many of these have only recently become used commonly. The "absolute" counts are generally considered more accurate because:
1. they acutally count the actual visible "thingys" being looked for
AND 2. being newer tests, the "norms" are considered more reflective of the current real world(not broke, white, male, med students from the US and Northern Europe from 1955-1975).
3. they have to be done on newer equipment with freshly trained people.
HOWEVER, docs like using their own opinions bests, WE are all unique, and who knows, in five years the new"good" tests could be shown as big failures...
I myself was glad that they released for use one of the direct tests that saved me a biopsy on an internal organ.....let me see, 5 minutes and a $80 lab test, or 8 hours and a $200 co-pay and $80 lab co-pay???
Oh weelllll, I am loopy today, so if I mis=spoke or messed up, let me know :blink: .
take care all, 3forme