About Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) Titer
Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies that bind to contents of the cell nucleus. The ANA titer test is used to help diagnose autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. A positive ANA test means that detectable levels of these antibodies are present in the blood, which can indicate an autoimmune disorder.
Reference Values
Optimal Range
Not specified
Elite Value
Not specified
Health Implications
High
Elevated levels may indicate an autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Low
Low levels are generally not associated with specific health issues and may not have clinical significance in the absence of symptoms.
Symptoms
High
May include fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, fever, and headaches.
Low
Can include dizziness, weakness, lightheadedness, and feeling faint.
Lifestyle Factors
Specimen Type
Testing Methods
Also Known As
Scientific Sources
- Agmon-Levin, N., Damoiseaux, J., Kallenberg, C., Sack, U., Witte, T., Herold, M., ... & Shoenfeld, Y. (2014). International recommendations for the assessment of autoantibodies to cellular antigens referred to as anti-nuclear antibodies. *Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases*, 73(1), 17-23.
- Mariz, H. A., Sato, E. I., Barbosa, S. H., Rodrigues, S. H., Dellavance, A., & Andrade, L. E. (2011). Pattern on the antinuclear antibody–HEp-2 test is a critical parameter for discriminating antinuclear antibody–positive healthy individuals and patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. *Arthritis & Rheumatism*, 63(1), 191-200.
- Solomon, D. H., Kavanaugh, A. J., Schur, P. H., & American College of Rheumatology Ad Hoc Committee on Immunologic Testing Guidelines. (2002). Evidence-based guidelines for the use of immunologic tests: antinuclear antibody testing. *Arthritis & Rheumatism*, 47(4), 434-444.
- Petri, M., Orbai, A. M., Alarcón, G. S., Gordon, C., Merrill, J. T., Fortin, P. R., ... & Ramsey-Goldman, R. (2012). Derivation and validation of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. *Arthritis & Rheumatism*, 64(8), 2677-2686.
- Damoiseaux, J., Andrade, L. E., Carballo, O. G., Conrad, K., Francescantonio, P. L., Fritzler, M. J., ... & Shoenfeld, Y. (2017). Clinical relevance of HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescent patterns: the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) perspective. *Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases*, 76(5), 879-889.