Question:
How accurate are the blood tests for Lupus? Does a negative result for an ANA test absolutely mean that it isn’t Lupus even though all other symptoms are there?
Response:
On Mon, 09 Nov 1998 00:46:10 GMT, jc…@nas.com (jcarl) wrote: >How accurate are the blood tests for Lupus? Does a negative result >for an ANA test absolutely mean that it isn’t Lupus even though all >other symptoms are there?
I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. Accurate? They are usually accurate as long as the lab being used is accustomed to doing this test. Sorry I don’t know which are best but my docs all use Smith-Kline and I get consistent results every time. No.. a neg. ANA does not rule out Lupus (though some doc will tell you it does). There are a small number of lupus patients called "sero-negative" patients that have neg. ANA titers. In addition, ANA levels can vary in the individual from one day/week/month to the next. If there are other tell-tale symptoms are there, many docs will dx anyway. But there have to be certain other symptoms that the doctor actually sees – most won’t go on your "word" alone. kc cat kcdoc…@ghg.net
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->On Mon, 09 Nov 1998 00:46:10 GMT, jc…@nas.com (jcarl) wrote: >>How accurate are the blood tests for Lupus? Does a negative result >>for an ANA test absolutely mean that it isn’t Lupus even though all >>other symptoms are there? >I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. >Accurate? They are usually accurate as long as the lab being used is >accustomed to doing this test. Sorry I don’t know which are best but >my docs all use Smith-Kline and I get consistent results every time. >No.. a neg. ANA does not rule out Lupus (though some doc will tell you >it does). There are a small number of lupus patients called >"sero-negative" patients that have neg. ANA titers. In addition, ANA >levels can vary in the individual from one day/week/month to the next. >If there are other tell-tale symptoms are there, many docs will dx >anyway. But there have to be certain other symptoms that the doctor >actually sees – most won’t go on your "word" alone. >kc cat >kcdoc…@ghg.net
Kc cat, I applaud your response! I have 7 of the 11 criterion for lupus with a neg ANA & I went for YEARS seriously ill with docs telling me there’s nothing wrong. I’ve heard anything from 80-95% of people with lupus have a positive ANA. One of my doctors who had known me for a very long time insisted I had a connective tissue disease & kept sending me to different rheumies. I really don’t believe that extreme photosensitivity for 15+ years was ‘all in my head’. Anyway,I went to the dir of rheumatology at Univ of Cleveland hosp & he diagnosed lupus based on a positive anti-cardiolipin & positive anti-RANA. Most docs don’t go any further if the ANA is negative. Find one that will if you have clinical signs of lupus. There ARE other tests if a person has a negative ANA and is still suspected of having lupus; for unknown reasons, in a small amount of patients, 1) the old LE-cell prep test will be positive; 2) there are new markers for lupus – Anti-MA, Anti-Ki, Anti-Me (undifferentiated CTD); 3) Anti-nRNP & anti-u1-RNP (MCTD); 4) Anti-centromere (CREST); 5) Anti-PCNA (common in SLE); & 6) Anti-HSP90 (specific for MCTD), 7) anti-cardiolipin, and, last but not least, 
the lupus band test, highly conclusive if the photosensitive rash is biopsied. Good luck. Candis
Response:
Most of the time the choice of labs is out of your hands. It’s usually up to your doctor and/or your insurance company. Vance
Response:
On Tue, 10 Nov 1998 10:05:43 -0400, "james d bowen" <reen…@frontiernet.net> wrote:
Thank you, Candis. And thank you much for the antibody tests you mention below – I wasn’t aware of all of these. just the RNP stuff really. What gets me is that I am doing everything in my power to stay out of the danger zone (no sun, no overworking, resting well, taking my meds, and the doctors say "well, your ANA’s are down so you must be okay"…. makes me want to go out and sunbathe sometimes ya know?! thanks, kc cat posted&emailed (I hope) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->There ARE other tests if a person has a negative ANA and is still suspected >of having lupus; for unknown reasons, in a small amount of patients, >1) the old LE-cell prep test will be positive; 2) there are new markers >for lupus – Anti-MA, Anti-Ki, Anti-Me (undifferentiated CTD); 3) Anti-nRNP >& >anti-u1-RNP (MCTD); 4) Anti-centromere (CREST); 5) Anti-PCNA (common in >SLE); >& 6) Anti-HSP90 (specific for MCTD), 7) anti-cardiolipin, and, last but not >least, >8) the lupus band test, highly conclusive if the photosensitive rash is >biopsied. >Good luck. Candis
Response:
In article <729h9v$27p…@node17.cwnet.frontiernet.net>, james d bowen <reen…@frontiernet.net> writes [---] >Anti-Me
[--] Yes, that sounds just like Lupus!! — Andy For Austria & its philately, Lupus, & much else visit http://www.kitzbuhel.demon.co.uk
Response:
Thank so much, all, for the excellent info. At least no one is telling me anymore that I am crazy or just depressed. I am hoping to get this "mystery illness" resolved while I still have some feeling in my hands and feet, and while I have some hair left. All I know is that something ugly exploded in my body after an enjoyable summer spent mostly on the beach. If there were not others to talk to going through this hell of waiting for a diagnosis, I would probably lose my mind.
Response:
Hi, my ANA continues to be negative and I have all or most of the symptoms. They did find ANA cells in a skin biopsy though. My doctors have all told me that a negative ANA doesn’t mean a whole lot, if you have the symptoms! God Bless. Cindy
Response:
Hi Cindy, I’m ana negative also, but positive for anti-cardiolipin & anti-RANA; with 7 of the 11 criterion for lupus. I’ve seen 3 leading experts in lupus who have given me a dx of SLE but it seems when I go to a rheumy just ‘proclaiming’ to be a specialist, they try to undiagnose me, in which case I would probably die! Scary. If they found ANA cells in a skin biopsy, my doc said that’s conclusive. Sometimes the antibodies get ’stuck’ in an area; skin, joint, lungs, etc. & simply aren’t circulating when they test your blood. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi, my ANA continues to be negative and I have all or most of the symptoms. >They did find ANA cells in a skin biopsy though. My doctors have all told me >that a negative ANA doesn’t mean a whole lot, if you have the symptoms! God >Bless. >Cindy
Response:
I have had lupus for 5 years (dianosed time) I have blood tests, every 2 months for the last 5 years. I have only tested positive ANA about three times. Luckily, the first test was positive, or who know where I would be now. If your doctor continues to test, eventully I will probally show up.
Cheryl
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