Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group AS and ANA Positive

Just curious how many of you are consistantly ANA positive without having Lupus. I've tested positive consistently since 2004 but my rheumy says it's probably the AS. Either that or I had an ancestor that had Lupus. This is the first time I've heard of either of those reasons. I always knew you could be ANA positive if you were fighting an illness but I didn't think arthritis would do it. I guess I'll have to google and find out. My mom has tested positive every time as well. So I guess that would support the doctor's theory more than Lupus because it's supposed to be uncommon for direct descendants to get it. I know there's some people that probably go against that, just like all of us women having AS. Anyway, I was just curious what you all have been told.

For the few that may recognize me, I know I've been missing a while and I'll be back to explain and catch up with everyone later. Unfortunately it's not the normal reason people disappear (getting better).

Sharon

What is ANA? I don't think I've been tested for it, whatever it is.



Wow! That's wonderful news to hear (getting better)! Congrats!

just wanted to bump this to the top so others can see it who might be able to answer your question.

i've been tested for this, but each time i am negative.

good to see you again,

I am both AS and having lupus, but appears lupus is overtaking.
You will find the symptoms are very much the same except you tend to have the joint pain with out the fusing, my lupus was found very much by accident and was diagnosed by biopsy.

cheers

A positive ANA is not restricted to Lupus. It should be followed with testing for ENA's (Extractable Nuclear Antibodies). My understanding is that there are no serological tests associated with the spondylarthropathies (AS is the classic spondylarthropathy) so a positive ANA must be associated with some other concurrent condition.

Cheers David

Hi, I'm ANA+ with 44%+ indicators for lupus, but I don't have the internal issues or butterfly mask. My sister is ANA- and has had fully developed lupus since her early 20's, with polycystic issues and joint replacements. I read on the her lupus site that sulfasalazine can bring it on, so now I'm afraid to try it for uSpA. Glad you're getting better!

I have always had a high positive ANA but not lupus.

My Dr an Immunologist explained it to me that IF you test positive with an ANA thent hat means you have SOME TYPE of Immune disorder.

Somehow the test splits and halfs like 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, and so on I asked him once why but I can't remember what he said about that. I will see If I can do some research and find out.

Ok googled and found this explanation of what it is.

ANA Test

It is also known as an antinuclear antibody test and is designed to detect antinuclear antibodies in the sample of blood. The acrnym ANA refers to antinuclear antibodies that are automatic in a sense that they automatically bind to certain surfaces within the nucleus of cells.

While a healthy person should possess a certain amount of antibodies to guard against invading bacteria, antinuclear antibodies work against this self defense mechanism. In fact, a high level of antinuclear antibodies present may indicate that the immune system is capable of mistakenly launching an attack on healthy tissues. This condition is known as autoimmunity.

Those numbers 40 80 160 etc relate to the concentration of the offending auto-immune antibody in the plasma.

The higher the no the higher the antibody concentration.

They are called doubling dilutions - that is the serum is diluted out further and further until the antibody is sufficiently dilute as to be undetected by the relevant serological test. So a serum diluted to 1 part in 1280 but still reactive has a higher level of antibody than someone whose highest (serum) titre is just 1 part in 40 - for instance.

Exactly! thank you for clarifying that, I know the Dr. told me that but I could not remember what he had said.