What does positive ANA mean?

[rushnik]

I have never had this test done but the nurse decided to do it this time and it says Positive with titre >1:1280 and pattern Diffuse.

Does anyone know what this actually means?

Thanks in advance for help!

[Maz]

rushnik wrote:

I have never had this test done but the nurse decided to do it this time and it says Positive with titre >1:1280 and pattern Diffuse.

Does anyone know what this actually means?

Hi Rushnik,

Here is a link to what the ANA test means and if you scroll down to the results section, it says,

Lab Tests Online – the ANA test

“Homogenous (diffuse)—associated with SLE, mixed connective tissue disease, and drug-induced lupus.”

“Diffuse” is just another term for a “homogenous” pattern result.

I think you mentioned you were struggling a few months back? Were you tested for drug-induced lupus and SLE?

The ANA test results are in doubled dilutions normally. These go: 1:80, 1:160, 1:320, 1:640, 1:1280…. and so on. While 1:1280 is an elevated result, it’s worth noting the “double dilutions” thing.

[rushnik]

Hi Maz,

Lovely to hear from you. Yes I have been struggling for around 6 months now. It’s not just joint pain, my muscles also feel very sore and I have no get up and go…

I have also had anemia and a v low platelet count that was below 30 for a good 5-6 months of last year (but after boosting B12 level seem to have gone back to normal now which is odd?)

I think I was tested for SLE right at the beginning but def haven’t been since then. What is the test for that?

Thanks so much, Nikki.

[rushnik]

I should add that I have always had a negative RF of 11 but have slightly elevated CRP/ESR and am anti-ccp positive although recently the anti-ccp number was much smaller….

[Maz]

rushnik wrote:

Yes I have been struggling for around 6 months now. It’s not just joint pain, my muscles also feel very sore and I have no get up and go…

I have also had anemia and a v low platelet count that was below 30 for a good 5-6 months of last year (but after boosting B12 level seem to have gone back to normal now which is odd?)

I think I was tested for SLE right at the beginning but def haven’t been since then. What is the test for that?

Nikki, always lovely to talk with you, too, though not so great that you’ve been feeling rough these past months and I hope you can find your answers and pinpoint what is going on. It’s unfortunate, but not unusual for overlapping rheumatic diseases to emerge slowly over time, showing up later in a mixed connective tissue presentation (MCTD). E.g., RA and lupus together or RA and thyroid disease, etc. So, re-testing at intervals after an initial diagnosis, especially when new symptoms arise, is worthwhile.

As far as AP goes, the treatment is the same, but as folks with lupus have a tendency to be a bit more sensitive to medications, sometimes their AP needs to tweaked and modulated down to a lower, pulsed dose or they might find they do better on doxycycline instead of minocycline.

Re: your situation with low platelets and the B12 helping to correct it, you may well be right! See the following link:

Do you have a low platelet count? Risks and 7 natural treatments.

Johns Hopkins Lupus Center has a helpful website that provides info on the usual lab tests to check for lupus, including ones to check for ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, low platelets that can occur with lupus):

Lupus Tests

You could probably have your local GP run these labs for you, Nikki, or perhaps Dr. E? Might make you feel better to thoroughly check this out to help with a way forward with treatment?

That is great to hear that your anti-CCP is now lower! What is your current AP regimen? Are you taking any supplements or other meds?

[Author]

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