A Positive ANA: Don't Panic
A positive antinuclear antibody test does not always mean autoimmune disease. What ANA results really mean and what to do next.
A positive test for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) means there are specific proteins called autoantibodies in your body. These proteins can mistakenly identify normal parts of the body as foreign and, in some cases, attack it.
ANA target normal proteins in the nucleus of a cell, hence the name. Most people have some small level of autoantibodies, but when present in large amounts, ANA can trigger an immune response contributing to diseases like lupus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and other connective tissue diseases. According to the American College of Rheumatology, the prevalence of ANA in healthy individuals is approximately 3 to 15 percent.
Importantly, a positive ANA does not always mean you have an autoimmune disease or that treatment needs to be started. ANA can also be seen with viral illness, thyroid disease, certain prescription medications, and malignancy.
So if you have a positive ANA, don't panic. Have a rheumatologist take a history, perform a physical exam, and order more specific testing for autoimmune diseases. ANA titers can also be monitored over time if there are no clinical symptoms.
Dr. Maggie Cadet, MD