An antinuclear antibody (ANA) test measures the amount and pattern of antibodies, Opens dialog in your blood that work against your own body (autoimmune reaction).
The body's immune system, Opens dialog normally attacks and destroys foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. But in disorders known as autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks and destroys the body's normal tissues. When a person has an autoimmune disease, the immune system produces antibodies that attach to the body's own cells as though they were foreign substances, often causing them to be damaged or destroyed. Rheumatoid arthritis, Opens dialog and systemic lupus erythematosus, Opens dialog are examples of autoimmune diseases.
An ANA test is used along with your symptoms, physical examination, and other tests to find an autoimmune disease.
An ANA test is done to help identify problems with the immune system, such as:
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Lupus.
Polymyositis.
Scleroderma.
Sjögren's syndrome.
In general, there's nothing you have to do before this test, unless your doctor tells you to.
Information about Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) Test
A health professional uses a needle to take a blood sample, usually from the arm.
When a blood sample is taken, you may feel nothing at all from the needle. Or you might feel a quick sting or pinch.
There is very little chance of having a problem from this test. When a blood sample is taken, a small bruise may form at the site.
If there are more antibodies in the blood than normal, the test is positive. When the test is positive, most labs do other tests right away to look for the cause. These tests can find out which antibodies are in the blood in higher amounts than normal.
Sometimes ANA test results can be positive when a person is healthy. Though the test is positive, the level of antibodies is usually low.
Autoimmune diseases can't be diagnosed by the results of the ANA test alone. Other tests are needed to help identify diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff Clinical Review Board All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
Clinical Review Board All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
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