What Blood Tests Are Done To Check For Autoimmune Disease

Lupus And The Ana Blood Test

An ANA test will usually give a positive result in a person with lupus, which is an autoimmune disease. The American College of Rheumatology reports that more than 95% of people with lupus test positive for ANA. As a result, doctors consider the test to be highly sensitive for this condition, and a negative ANA test is often confirmation that an individual does not have lupus.

However, not everyone with a positive ANA result has lupus. A person can have ANAs in the bloodstream without having an autoimmune disorder.

Therefore, as part of the diagnosis, a doctor will also need to consider a persons symptoms and perform a physical examination.

The symptoms of lupus vary in type and severity, and they can be intermittent.

A person can experience symptoms that

A healthcare professional will take a blood sample using a needle and syringe or vial, typically via a vein in the arm. The needle puncture will usually be quick and only mildly painful, but it may leave a tiny wound.

A person will likely be able to return to their regular activities after giving the blood sample.

How Many Autoimmune Diseases Are There

There are over 80 different autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune disease does not describe a single disease but covers a huge variety of diseases that can affect almost any part of our body.

An autoimmune disease can affect specific parts of the body, such as coeliac disease where the lining of the small intestine becomes inflamed, and multiple sclerosis where the immune system attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. But some autoimmune diseases can affect almost the entire body, such as lupus which affects the skin, heart, lungs and kidneys. Lupus sufferers can develop a distinctive characteristic butterfly-shaped rash over their cheeks and nose. Like many autoimmune diseases, the cause of lupus is poorly understood, and diagnosis can sometimes be difficult.

Interestingly, two of the most common thyroid diseases, Graves Disease and Hashimotos thyroiditis, are caused by an autoimmune response. In Graves’ disease, the immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid to produce an excess of hormones. In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the body attacks the cells in the thyroid gland leading to a decrease in the number of hormones produced.

What Is An Ana Test

An ANA test is a blood test that looks for antinuclear antibodies in your blood. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to fight foreign substances, such as viruses and bacteria. But an antinuclear antibody attacks your own healthy cells instead. It’s called “antinuclear” because it targets the nucleus of the cells.

It’s normal to have a few antinuclear antibodies in your blood. But a large number may be a sign of an autoimmune disorder. If you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system attacks the cells of your organs and tissues by mistake. These disorders can cause serious health problems.

Other names: antinuclear antibody panel, fluorescent antinuclear antibody, FANA, ANA, ANA reflexive panel

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Autoimmune Disease Blood Test

£229.00

Our Autoimmune Disorder blood test checks your blood for common autoimmunity antibodies to help diagnose autoimmune disorders such as Lupus, Hashimotos Thyroiditis, Graves Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Our test includes checks for antibodies including thyroid peroxidase, antinuclear, mitochondrial, smooth muscle, gastric parietal cell and reticulin antibodies.

£229

Blood taken by a professional in-clinic:

Visit one of our nationwide clinics to have your blood taken from a vein in your arm by a healthcare professional.

Our Autoimmune Disease Blood Test checks your blood for signs of autoimmune disorders that can affect your health.

Autoimmune disorders, or autoimmunity, happens when your bodys natural immune system mistakes your own cells for foreign objects and starts to attack them.

There are almost 100 known types of autoimmune disease, from Lupus to rheumatoid arthritis, all of which can cause different but debilitating symptoms that can either persist continually, or flare up at certain times.

Women are more likely to develop an autoimmunity disease than men, and the risk is even higher if you have a family member with an autoimmunity condition too.

This autoimmunity blood test is the ideal way to check for autoimmune disorders such as:

• Hashimotos Thyroiditis

We check for 7 Autoimmune Antibodies markers:

• Anti-Liver-Kidney Microsomal Antibodies

• Smooth Muscle Antibodies

• Thyroid Peroxidase

How it works

Attend your blood draw

Get your results via email

Question 9 How Predictive Are The Specific Autoantibodies What Is Their Sensitivity And Specificity In Various Autoimmune Diseases

The presence of a specific antibody is highly suggestive of the associated autoimmune disease. However, these antibodies are not completely specific for a particular disease thus, results need to be interpreted in context of the clinical information and considering the following antibody prevalence.

Prevalence of Tier 1 Antibodies7-10

Double-stranded DNA antibodies are present in 57% to 62% of systemic lupus erythematosus cases, 10% to 43% of polymyositis, 11% to 20% of Sjögren syndrome, 8% of systemic sclerosis , and 0% to 8% of mixed connective tissue disease .

Chromatin antibody is present in > 80% of MCTD cases, 37% to 73% of SLE, 14% of systemic sclerosis, 12% of Sjögren syndrome, and 8% of polymyositis.

Ribonucleoprotein antibodies target RNP A and/or RNP 68kD proteins antibodies to one or both are present in > 80% of MCTD cases, 22% to 48% of SLE, 14% of systemic sclerosis, 12% of Sjögren syndrome, and 8% of polymyositis.

Sm/RNP antibodies are directed to epitopes formed in a complex of Sm and RNP antibodies to the Sm/RNP complex are present in 54% to 94% of MCTD cases, 30% of SLE, 4% of systemic sclerosis, and 9% of Sjögren syndrome and polymyositis.

Sm antibody is present in 20% to 30% of SLE cases, 8% of MCTD, 10% of polymyositis, 0% of systemic sclerosis, and 4% of Sjögren syndrome.

Double-stranded DNA, chromatin, ribonucleoprotein, Sm/RNP complex, and Sm antibodies are also present in < 2% of normal blood donors.

Prevalence of Tier 2 Antibodies9,10

Note

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Helps Evaluate The Presence Of Autoimmune Diseases

This test is a comprehensive screen for automimmune diseases and includes an antinuclear antibodies screen, C-reactive protein , tumor necrosis factor alpha and screens for immunoglobins IgA, IgG and IgM.

Instructions

Fasting is not required. Take all medications as prescribed.

References

Types Of Blood Tests For Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune blood work targets various substances in the blood, such as antibodies, proteins, or uric acid, that may signal a disorder. The right autoimmune blood test will help you determine not just the type of disease, but the treatment plan and lifestyle modifications that may alleviate painful or uncomfortable symptoms. We offer autoimmune disease tests, including rheumatoid arthritis tests and autoimmune hepatitis tests.

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What Blood Tests Show Inflammation In Body

The level of C-reactive protein increases when theres inflammation in your body. A simple blood test can be done to check your C-reactive protein level. A high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test is more sensitive than a standard CRP test.

What cancers are detected by blood tests? What types of blood tests can help detect cancer?

• Prostate-specific antigen for prostate cancer.
• Cancer antigen-125 for ovarian cancer.
• Calcitonin for medullary thyroid cancer.
• Alpha-fetoprotein for liver cancer and testicular cancer.

Why cant doctors figure out what is wrong with me?

An undiagnosed disease is one or more medical problems that doctors havent been able to identify a cause for. Often, this means the underlying disease is rare which is why no one was able to identify it.

What happens if ANA test is negative? Interpreting the results. A negative test means that certain autoimmune diseases are less likely to be present. However, other tests may still be needed based on your symptoms. Some people with autoimmune diseases may get a negative test result for ANA but positive for other antibodies.

Can I Have Lupus With Negative Ana

It is possible for people with lupus to have a negative ANA, but these instances are rare. In fact, only 2% of people with lupus will have a negative ANA. People with lupus who have a negative ANA test may have anti-Ro/SSA or antiphospholipid antibodies.

Is seronegative arthritis serious? Seronegative RA causes serious damage to the joints and bones because the body attacks the synovial tissues that cushion the bones.

What is sero negative arthritis? If youre seronegative for rheumatoid arthritis , you may or may not have RA. It can make it harder to get an RA diagnosis. Being seronegative for RA means that a blood test doesnt find certain antibodies your body typically makes when you have the condition.

Is seronegative inflammatory arthritis the same as rheumatoid arthritis? When diagnosing and treating RA, blood tests arent everything. There are two main types of rheumatoid arthritis in adults: seropositive and seronegative. Both have the same symptoms joint pain, morning stiffness, fatigue, fever, low appetite but the primary difference is in the bloodwork.

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What Blood Tests Are Done For Autoimmune Diseases

by Eric Bakker N.D.

If you go to a doctor, theres different ways that many medical doctors will work, but generally they will do a blood test. Theyll do a preliminary blood test first. Even if you go to a doctor saying, Look, Ive got all the signs and symptoms of lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis, or an autoimmune disease. He or she, your doctor, is not going to say, Okay. Well, lets test for that.

What the GP is going to do theyre going to do a broad spectrum of basic tests to begin with to see whats wrong. These tests could involve a whole bunch of different types of parameters. Generally, this sort of probing tests to see whats going on in the body. Then these tests will lead to further tests, of course, because theyre going to refine things down. But these are the basic tests here. Just a few of them Ive written down here a few that I commonly see people getting regularly for autoimmune disease. So, Ill explain a bit about them.

This ESR needs to be basically processed within hours, because its a very time sensitive test. Thats a good opening one to do. Now, if theyve completed ESR, for example, and theyve looked at a whole blood panel of red cells, white cells, everything, and theyve seen the ESRs elevated, they may go further, and then start looking at something called the C-reactive protein or CRP.

Further readings:

• Have You Ever Considered Colonic Irrigation?

About Eric Bakker N.D.

Why Do I Need An Immunoglobulins Blood Test

You may need this test if you have symptoms that could mean your immunoglobulin levels are too low. If you have too few immunoglobulins, you have an immunodeficiency.

Symptoms of low levels of immunoglobulins usually include having many, repeated infections and other problems, such as:

• Sinus, throat, and ear infections
• Respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
• Serious infections from germs that don’t usually cause problems in healthy people, such as:
• Cytomegalovirus
• A yeast infection in the mouth, eyes, or digestive tract

You may need an immunoglobulins test if immunodeficiency runs in your family, or your health care provider thinks you may have a problem making normal levels of immunoglobulins.

You may also need this test if your provider thinks you may have high levels of immunoglobulins from an autoimmune disease or a cancer that affects your blood, bone marrow, and/or immune system. These cancers may cause a very high level of certain immunoglobulins. But those immunoglobulins don’t work normally. So, even though your levels are high, you may have frequent infections and other symptoms of low immunoglobulin levels.

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Tests That Diagnose Autoimmune Diseases

No single test can diagnose most autoimmune diseases. A doctor will use tests, review your symptoms, and conduct a physical examination to reach a diagnosis.

Doctors often use the antinuclear antibody test when symptoms suggest an autoimmune disease. A positive test means you may have one of these diseases, but it wont confirm exactly which one you have or if you have one for sure.

Other tests look for specific autoantibodies produced in certain autoimmune diseases. Your doctor might also do nonspecific tests to check for the inflammation these diseases produce in the body.

BOTTOM LINE: A positive ANA blood test may indicate an autoimmune disease. Your doctor can use your symptoms and other tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatments are also available to relieve symptoms like pain, swelling, fatigue, and skin rashes.

Eating a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise may also help you feel better.

BOTTOM LINE: The main treatment for autoimmune diseases is with medications that bring down inflammation and calm the overactive immune response. Treatments can also help relieve symptoms.

More than 80 autoimmune diseases exist. Often their symptoms overlap, making them hard to diagnose.

Autoimmune diseases are more common in women and often run in families.

Blood tests that look for autoantibodies can help doctors diagnose these conditions. Treatments include medications to calm the overactive immune response and bring down inflammation in the body.

Uses For Laboratory Tests

• To diagnose: Lupus symptoms often mimic those of other diseases and vice versa. Physicians use medical history, physical examination and laboratory findings to confirm the diagnosis.
• To determine prognosis: Physicians want to understand how a patients disease will progress. Laboratory tests are used to establish a baseline at the time of diagnosis and to predict whether lupus is likely to improve or worsen.
• To monitor: Laboratory tests help physicians assess the severity of the disease, the efficacy of treatment, and medication-related side effects.
• To guide therapy: Laboratory tests help physicians make treatment recommendations and adjust for changing symptoms.

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What Is Seronegative Autoimmune Disease

A close relationship exists between autoimmunity and autoantibodies despite this, some patients are persistently negative for disease-specific autoantibodies. These conditions have been defined as seronegative autoimmune diseases.

Is seronegative RA worse than seropositive? Differences. People with seropositive RA usually have more pain than those with the seronegative kind. Theyre also more likely to: Have nodules

What does seronegative mean?

Definition of seronegative

: having or being a negative serum reaction especially in a test for the presence of an antibody.

What happens if RA factor is negative? If the result is above the normal level, it is positive. A low number most often means you do not have rheumatoid arthritis or Sjögren syndrome. However, some people who do have these conditions still have a negative or low RF. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories.

What Is The Immune System

The immune system is the bodys means of protection against “foreign” substances such as bacteria and viruses. It is composed of two major parts. One component involves proteins such as antibodies. These recognise “foreign” substances and cause them to be removed from the body. The other component involves specialised blood cells called T lymphocytes. These cells attack and destroy “foreign” substances directly. Antibodies and T lymphocytes become protective only after they are exposed to a “foreign” substance for the first time. This is the reason that we use vaccinations: to allow our immune system to recognise weakened or inactivated forms of bacteria and viruses that can cause disease. We will then be protected if we actually come in contact with them.

What are autoimmune disorders? Normally the immune system recognises the tissues in the body that are not “foreign” and does not attack them. Autoimmune disorders are diseases caused by the body producing an immune response against its own tissues. The cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, but it appears that there is a genetic predisposition to develop autoimmune disease in many cases . In a few types of autoimmune disease , a bacteria or virus triggers the immune system as normal but the antibodies or T-cells produced attack normal cells. This may happen because some part of these normal cells resembles a part of the infecting germ and so the immune system attacks the normal cell as though it is an invading germ.

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Why Does The Immune System Attack The Body

Doctors dont know exactly what causes the immune system to misfire. Yet some people are more likely to get an autoimmune disease than others.

According to a 2014 study, women get autoimmune diseases at a rate of about 2 to 1 compared to men 6.4% of women versus 2.7% of men. The disease often starts during childbearing age .

Some autoimmune diseases are more common in certain ethnic groups. For example, lupus affects more African American and Hispanic people than white people.

Certain autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and lupus, run in families. Not every family member will necessarily have the same disease, but they inherit a susceptibility to an autoimmune condition.

Because the incidence of autoimmune diseases is rising, researchers suspect environmental factors like infections and exposure to chemicals or solvents might also be involved.

A Western diet is another suspected risk factor for developing an autoimmune disease. Eating high fat, high-sugar, and highly processed foods are thought to be linked to inflammation, which might set off an immune response. But this hasnt been proven.

BOTTOM LINE: Researchers dont know exactly what causes autoimmune diseases. Genetics, diet, infections, and exposure to chemicals might be involved.

When your immune system is weakened, you may be at a higher risk from COVID-19. Be sure to get tested quickly if youre experiencing symptoms.

There are more than 80 autoimmune diseases. Here are 14 of the most common ones.