Unexplained symptoms suggesting autoimmune disease, family history of autoimmune conditions, or need screening for systemic autoimmune disorders?
Screen for autoimmune conditions with our comprehensive Antinuclear Antibody test. This important analysis detects ANA to identify autoimmune diseases like lupus, evaluate unexplained symptoms, and provide crucial diagnostic information for systemic autoimmune disorders.
You will be emailed a referral to take to your local collection centre. If you ever have any questions, we're here to help.
The Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) test acts like a security scanner for your immune system, checking whether your body's defense forces have gone rogue and started attacking your own cells. Normally, your immune system protects you from outside threats, but sometimes it gets confused and begins targeting the command centers (nuclei) of your own cells. This test detects those "friendly fire" antibodies that shouldn't be there, serving as an early warning system for autoimmune conditions like lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, and scleroderma.
What makes this test particularly valuable is that it doesn't just give you a simple yes or no answer – it also reveals specific patterns that can point toward different autoimmune conditions, much like how different fingerprint patterns can identify different people. If you've been experiencing unexplained joint pain, persistent fatigue, mysterious rashes, or other symptoms that seem to come and go without clear cause, the ANA test can help determine whether your immune system might be the culprit. While a positive result doesn't automatically mean you have a specific disease, it's a crucial first step that tells you and your doctor whether you need further investigation to catch and manage autoimmune conditions before they cause serious damage.
Reviewed by Dr. Vu Tran Bloody Good’s Chief Medical Officer
You may benefit from the Antinuclear Antibodiy (ANA) Test
Essential for individuals with suspected autoimmune diseases, unexplained multi-system symptoms, family history of autoimmune conditions, or anyone needing autoimmune disease screening.
Joint pain in multiple locations
Morning joint stiffness lasting more than 1 hour
Feeling tired all the time
Parents or siblings with autoimmune disease
How to prepare
No special preparation required. Inform healthcare provider of all medications, particularly those that can cause drug-induced lupus, and provide detailed symptom history for proper interpretation of results.
Understanding results
Results show ANA presence, titer (concentration), and pattern. Positive results may indicate autoimmune disease risk and need for further specific autoantibody testing and rheumatological evaluation.
After the test
Address positive ANA results through comprehensive rheumatological evaluation, specific autoantibody testing, symptom assessment, and appropriate treatment if autoimmune disease is confirmed. Work with rheumatologists for specialized care.
Frequently Asked Questions
A positive ANA indicates the presence of autoantibodies against cell nuclei, suggesting possible autoimmune disease, but further testing and clinical evaluation are needed for specific diagnosis.
Yes, some healthy individuals may have low-level positive ANA, and the significance depends on the titer, pattern, and presence of clinical symptoms suggesting autoimmune disease.
Homogeneous patterns often suggest lupus, speckled patterns indicate various connective tissue diseases, nucleolar patterns suggest scleroderma, and centromere patterns are associated with limited systemic sclerosis.
Higher titers (1:160 or greater) are more likely to be clinically significant, while lower titers may be less meaningful, though interpretation depends on clinical context and symptoms.
Positive ANA typically leads to further specific autoantibody testing, rheumatological evaluation, and assessment of symptoms to determine if autoimmune disease is present and requires treatment.
Yes, certain medications can cause drug-induced lupus with positive ANA, including some blood pressure medications, antibiotics, and anti-seizure drugs.
You will be emailed a referral to take to your local collection centre. If you ever have any questions, we're here to help.
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1
Book your test
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2
Collect your samples
Have your sample collected at one of our 4000+ partner collection centres.
3
View your results
View your lab results and receive a personalised review from the secure Bloody Good platform.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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