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What Does Positive ANA Test Report Indicate?

Posted on Fri, 26 Dec 2014

Question: SLE Lupus? GYN ran blood due to symptoms we thought were related to hormones! Hormones were fine but pos for ANA and DS antibody. See RA specialist on Dec 18th to evaluate. I have had many many symptoms that point to lupus for a long time!! Also celebrating over 6 months sobriety from alcohol and drugs.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
SLE

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for the query

I would like know a few more details in order to help you better as SLE is a pretty serious diagnosis to be made and it needs long term treatment. I would like to add here that ANA might be falsely positive as well

1. Do you have any rash on the body or ulcers in the oral cavity?
2. Do you have a butterfly type rash on th face or any other sun exposed area?
3. Any joint pains?
4. Any history of chest pain or breathing difficulty?
5. Any family history of lupus?

Please get back to me, I am awaiting your reply

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (8 minutes later)

Extremely fatigued, Headaches with light sensitivity, get winded easily (at times) have joint pain in feet. Hands, groin. Sometimes pain in arms, neck and back.Cant walk in am on feet, when its bad. Have to walk on sides of my feet. get winded easily, tingly limbs at times, gimissues, nausea, heartburn, sometimes get dizzy, depression, confusion, inability to concentrateon more than 1 task, watery eyes constantly (found on lupus site can be a symptom, blurry vision (at times) no rash (but read that is in only 50%) . Did find sore inside nose.
I mean *GI issues above not gimissues, eyes are puffy, red every day. (read that can be symptoms of lupus.

also i read that DS is most likely a confirmer of lupus. Is it possible to test falsely positive for both antibodies?? ANA and DS? If they are not false positives, is this indicative of SLE Lupus?

I have been ill for sometime now and this really does make sense but unsure if it could be something else.. I

ALso another thing is my throat has felt swollen for a couple years. I had an ultrasound on it a year ago and nothing came back positive. I also recently went to an allergist for tests and I reacted to nothing.

ALSO, NO FAMILY HISTORY BUT ALSO READ THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANY.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (7 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Not specific for lupus

Detailed Answer:
Hello

The signs and symptoms you have jotted down are significant but are not specific for lupus.

Here is how you should go about it

1. Get a complete ANA profile ( not just dsDNA), including anti sm antibody
2. Get a 24 hour urine protein
3. based on the above two reports you might have to be taken up for a renal biopsy, renal biopsy is almost confirmatory for lupus

ANA profile might show positivity for some other antibody which might require treatment with steroids..

I hope I was of help

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (1 minute later)

Also I left out i had massive amounts of hair loss!
what other things could this be suggestive of? ALso I have lost a lot - a lot of hair.
what do you mean based on my two reports i might need a renal biopsy?? WHat did it show?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Diagnosis of Lupus

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for the query

Looking through you symptoms it could be that you are suffering from thyroid dysfuntion. GI symptoms, hair loss, generalised bodyache can be seen in thyroid dysfunction. I recommend that you get a thyroid profile done.
Another differential would be to get a Vit D levels done, low Vit D can cause these symptoms as well.

To confirm the presence of SLE I recommend you to get the following things done

1. Complement 3 levels
2. Complement 4 levels
3. C reactive protein
4. ESR

Low C3, Low c4 and raised CRP and ESR are diagnostic of lupus. Another way to diagnose is to get a renal biopsy, renal biopsy will show immune deposits in Lupus. This is the best way to confirm whether the ANA, dsDNA was a false positive or not

I hope I was of help, if you have any further queries please get back to me

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (16 minutes later)

Thank you. I had my thyroid tested via blood work and an u ltra sound on it last year. What would the thryoid test be listed as when tested on blood work result and what would vitamin d be listed as on blood work as well?

It seems renal biopsy is the best way to go for getting accurate confirmation of lupus. Is it invasive and painful?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Not paniful

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Renal biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure done under local anesthetia, I recommend you to get C3, C4, CRP and ESR before undergoing renal biopsy. If these parameters are normal then it is unlikely to be lupus

Vit D is listed as Vit D or 25(OH)D
Thyroid test is listed as Thyroid profile ( done after fasting for 8 hours)

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (8 minutes later)

Tsh w/relex to FT4 was 2.09

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need TSH value

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for getting back with your thyroid results

Please let me know the TSH value for a proper interpretation of your thyroid function

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (23 minutes later)

What is TSH value? is that on my tests you have ? Or shall i ask my doctor for it?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thyroid stimulating hormone

Detailed Answer:
Hello

TSH is throid stimulating hormone, it is high in hypothyroidism and extremely low in hyperthyroidism. Please ask your doctor for it if it is nor already done.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (24 minutes later)

Thank you... Is it not on here? See attached page

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Ratio

Detailed Answer:
Hello

I had gone through the reports earlier as well. What they have mentioned is the ratio between TSH and Free T4 however to diagnose thyroid disorder one has to know TSH, Free T4 and Free T3. There is no harm repeating the test.

I hope I was of help
Regards

Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar