Antinuclear Antibody Testing for the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Rand A Nashi, Robert H Shmerling

The Medical clinics of North America 2021 Mar

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune inflammatory condition that may involve multiple organ systems. Although the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is positive in nearly every case of SLE, it is not specific for this disease and must be interpreted in the appropriate clinical context. Key features that warrant ANA testing include unexplained multisystem inflammatory disease, symmetric joint pain with inflammatory features, photosensitive rash, and cytopenias. ANA staining patterns and more specific autoantibody testing may be helpful in diagnosis of suspected SLE or ANA-associated disease. For patients with nonspecific symptoms, such as malaise and fatigue, ANA testing is of limited value. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Rand A Nashi, Robert H Shmerling. Antinuclear Antibody Testing for the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The Medical clinics of North America. 2021 Mar;105(2):387-396