Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Indicates Presence of Autoantibodies
Antinuclear Antibody is an antibody that is directed against structures within the nucleus. Individuals whose immune system is predisposed to inflammation against their own body, common among Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, will have a significant presence of antinuclear antibody. The degenerative forms of arthritis include antibodies that destroy inflamed joint tissue within the person's own body. These antibodies are referred to as autoantibodies. The presence of Antinuclear antibody indicates the possible presence of autoantibodies.
The arthritis panel includes a test for the presence of antinuclear antibody to determine the type of diseases. Normally, there is no antinuclear antibody present in the blood resulting in a negative test. There are times when a person will have low levels of antinuclear antibodies for no related reason. A test for antinuclear antibody may indicate if the immune system will attacks the body's own tissue instead of foreign material. They are often found in people with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
The presence of antinuclear antibody could be indicative of the following:
Symptoms as a result of high levels of antinuclear antibodies include: fainting or light-headedness, excessive bleeding, hematoma (blood accumulation under skin), multiple punctured veins, and infection anytime there is an open wound. Keep in mind other medication (birth control pills, procainamide, and thiazide diuretics) can affect the accuracy of this test. |
