[Allerian]

I saw my rheumatologist today and she decided to redo my serologies because her lab does it by hand. (Not by ELISA). So they did it and I was low positive at 1:40 speckeled. Does anyone know what the speckeled is? I have been a persistant ANA neg case (My mom who was dx by skin biopsy is also ANA neg). In the past I have had low Anti Dsdna.
Julia

 

[cuteynblue72]

Bloodwork

:hehe: You can not always go by bloodwork because for the first 3 years of my disease I had a negative ANA but because I broke out on my face and arms the doctor did a skin biopsy and glory be it came back positive for SLE and about 6 months later it started showing up in my bloodwork. I know it sounds strange but thats what happened. It can become very frustrating but just hang in there.:hehe:

 

[Clare.T]

Julia
I wouldn't think it means anything at all if no other tests are positive and at this low level but I am quite sure your rheumatologist will be far able to assess than me !
There are apparently two sorts coarse and fine, each tending to be associated with other antibodies of the ENA type. Otherwise, it is said on many sites to be the most common and least specific, found in many other diseases.

Please enable your PM facility - see

http://www.thelupussite.com/forum/showthread.php?p=495191#post495191

Cheers
Clare

 

[neongirl]

Julia,
1:40 speckled is what I had when dxd, my Dr. considered it positive in light of my other bloodwork. My anti ds-dna was high, as was my igg. Several other things were really off in my bloodwork too. I was having significant problems with my liver, kidneys etc. at the time in addition to a nasty body wide and malar rash.
I had been using prescription steroid lotion on large areas of my body for the rash for a few weeks before my ana test was done, which may have effected the result. Were you on any medications before/during the time your blood was drawn for the ana test? My Dr. re-ran my ana test a year later, at that time I was taking 10 mg. prednisone daily and 400 mg. plaquenil daily, and the result was still 1:40 speckled. I had been on higher doses of prednisone the month prior to the test.

 

[Allerian]

I've been on steroids for two months, and methotrexate for a few years with varying amounts of steroids. I was atleast happy for the result even though low she still considered it significant. She doesn't expect it to be high because I've been treated with steroids, hydroxychloroquine, metho and arava prior.