Low ANA

[Curly]

Hi all, Happy fourth. I was reading through some of my old medical records and found an ANA that was 1:80, speckled/diffuse and it was called positive. No on ever picked up on it. My titers now are 1:2560; does anyone know if a low ANA is indicative of pending lupus? Thanks, Curly

[Lily]

Hi Curly,

If you meet criteria for Lupus and other causes for an ANA of 1:80 are ruled out then most docs in the know will diagnose you. The titre is not indicative of severity in Lupus either, ANA is a screening tool and a sign to look further for the causes.

My first ANA was 1:40, then it went to 1:80, then the highest its has got was 1:160 over about a year time span) . I had other markers in my blood and also kidney signs & abnormal MRI/MRA which helped them diagnose me.

love
Lily

[jane1]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wavey.gif Hi curly...yes..my ANA was weak positive.. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif ..but clinic said that because i had all other cryteria..then it was lupus..hope this helps a little..

jane style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bigsmile.gif

[Curly]

Hi Jane and Lily, thank you for your replies. I am one of the very lucky ones who got diagnosed with a high ana, sm, rnp antigens, weak joint pain, and face rash.. I was just curious if an ana of 1:80 is considered positive with the speckled diffuse pattern. The 1:80 seems low enough but is it the pattern that makes it positive? Curly

[jane1]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/afraid.gif God...sorry ..dont know that one..you will have to get one of the clever girls to answerthat .. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hyper.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hyper.gif ...

jane.. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rotfl.gif

[Lily]

Hi Curly,

I too had the speckled pattern ANA,certain patterns can SOMETIMES indicate a different connective tissue disease, but once again it depends on criteria and other antibody tests. I had no other antibody tests positive, but I did have low C3 & C4 (probably tied in with my kidney and brain probs). Speckled is a fairly common one and certainly common here though.

I'm thinking that perhaps you didnt have enough criteria at the time you got that ANA of 1:80? If I hadnt had the obvious signs I did and the other abnormalities at the time I doubt they would have diagnosed me with a titre that low.

love
Lily