Anti Nuclear Antibodies
Immunology and Allergy Overview / Directory
Purpose of the test
ANA are the most frequently encountered autoantibodies in the clinical laboratory and are found in many disease states. This investigation is based on indirect immunofluorescence using a HEp-2010 cell line as substrate and detects only antibodies of the IgG isotype (other isotypes can be investigated by request).
The term “ANA” covers many antigen specificities as is evidenced by the number of patterns seen in immunofluorescence. These autoantibodies are particularly sought in the rheumatological disorders (SLE, RA etc). However, along with anti-smooth muscle antibody ANA is useful in the investigation of liver disease (autoimmune hepatitis type 1 and overlap syndromes).
Sample Requirements
2 ml freshly separated serum
Storage and Transport
Serum stored at 4°C should be sent by first class post
Turnaround Time
4 working days
Time Limit for Extra Tests
Five days
Factors affecting results or interpretation
All tests are compromised by prolonged transit times. For this reason, date of bleed and date of postage must be provided with each request.
Price
Price available on application - please contact adrianturner1@nhs.net. Discounts could be available for significant workloads.
Contacts
John Cazabon or Rosemary Ebling, Lead Biomedical Scientists
T 020 3299 1559
Dr Ted Davies Consultant Clinical Scientist
T 020 3299 9000 Ex 8752
