Antinuclear Antibody Testing: What is it, When to Take the Test, Interpretations of Test, and Autoimmune Diseases Associated with it

Importance of immunity dawns upon us when we are in bad health and are suffering miserably from an ailment. In these times, when Covid-19 disease has eradicated lakhs of people, strong immunity is prayed by all. Antibodies are important elements of an immune system but if these antibodies backfire on the body then they take the form of antinuclear antibodies.

What is an Antinuclear Antibody?

If the two terms are separated from one another then, antibodies are certain type of cells and proteins that fight off infections in the body. Antibodies are made by white blood cells (WBCs), specifically by B cells. These antibodies are developed in the immune system where their role is to identify foreign invaders in the body and fight them off with an attack termed as inflammation. These foreign invaders could be viruses, bacteria, protozoan, or any other pathogenic agents.

Sometimes antibodies are created incorrectly and they make mistake of recognizing their own cells as dangerous and foreign. They fail to recognize self-cells and consider them as a potential threat; therefore they are called as autoantibodies.

Autoantibodies turn against their own body and such type of antibodies that attack normal or self-proteins within the nucleus of a cell are termed are antinuclear antibody (ANA).

Presence of high percentage of autoantibodies in the body can cause autoimmune diseases and antinuclear antibody test is carried out to detect autoimmune diseases.  

In the Covid-19 pandemic, several people are going for antinuclear antibody test to check for autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the antinuclear antibody testing market is also experiencing growth during the pandemic phase. According to a report published by Researchdive, the global antinuclear antibody testing market  is expected to garner CAGR of 13.0% in 2019-2027 forecast timeframe.

Some other names for ANA are antinuclear antibody panel and fluorescent antinuclear antibody.  

When to Opt for Antinuclear Antibody Test?

The doctor or physician will recommend the antinuclear antibody test if the person shows the following symptoms:

1. Swelling or stiffness

2. Joint or muscle pain

3. Persistent or recurring fever

4. Tiredness

5. Red rash on nose and cheek that looks like a butterfly

6. Light sensitivity

7. Weakness

8. Tingling and numbness in feet or hands

9. Hair loss

The antinuclear antibody test is carried out by taking a blood sample of the patient and interpreting the results. Before the test, it is endorsed that one notifies the doctor about any allergies or medications.

Interpretations of the Antinuclear Antibody Test:

Obviously if the antinuclear antibody test is negative then the person isn’t suffering from any kind of autoimmune disease. Whereas, a positive test result signifies high ANA content in blood and is reported as both pattern and ratio (known as titer). High level of titer indicates positive result, excessive antinuclear antibodies, and presence of autoimmune disease. For instance, 1:40 or 1:80 ratio denotes low autoimmune disorder but 1:640 or higher implies extreme possibility of autoimmune disease. However, the doctors determine and analyze the final results of the test.

Sometimes, the antinuclear antibody test can give a false positive test as well, meaning the person may not necessary have autoimmune disease. These false results are obtained in any of the following situations:

1. If the person id suffering from tuberculosis or mononucleosis.

2. If the person is a woman of age 65 or above.

3. If the person consumes anti-seizure or blood pressure drugs.

Autoimmune Diseases Diagnosed with Antinuclear Antibody Test:

Autoimmune diseases are disorders of the immune system where autoantibodies are produced that go against the body and cause inflammation. If the antinuclear antibody test turns out to be positive then the following autoimmune diseases can be diagnosed:

1. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

2. Siogren’s syndrome

3. Rheumatoid arthritis

4. Polymyositis

5. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

6. Scleroderma

7. Juvenile diabetes mellitus

8. Vitiligo

9. Addison’s disease

10. Pernicious anemia

11. Pulmonary fibrosis

12. Glomerulonephritis

Apart from the above stated disorders, antinuclear antibody test can be positive for the following conditions as well:

1. Raynaud’s syndrome

2. Liver diseases

3. Thyroid diseases

4. Inflammatory bowel diseases

5. Lung diseases

6. Viral infections

7. Cancer

Points to Remember:

The antinuclear antibody test is done only after the recommendation of a doctor and this test is mainly to detect if the person is suffering from autoimmune diseases. The test may produce false positive results in certain cases. The important part to keep in mind is that the body turns against itself in case of autoimmune disorders. This is so because; some antibodies are incorrectly created in the immune system.      

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.