FANA:
Why FANA Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
In most suspected autoimmune-related disorder cases, a positive ANA test indicates that the immune system has targeted a misdirected attack against the body (own healthy tissue cells). The Anti-Nuclear Antibody test is used as a primary test to help evaluate a person for auto-immune disorders. ANAs are a group of antibodies that are characteristically associated with connective tissue diseases. An Anti-Nuclear Antibody test is a screening method of diagnosis that is performed in the blood sample specimen that screens for antibodies against the nuclear contents (substances of the nucleus including cell’s chromosomes). Thus the Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs, also known as anti-nuclear factor-ANF) are those abnormal auto-antibodies that bind to the contents of the cell nucleus. There are many subtypes of ANAs such as anti-RO antibodies, anti-La antibodies, anti-Sm V, anti-RNP antibodies, anti-Scl-70 antibodies, anti-dsDNA (double-stranded DNA) antibodies, anti-histone antibodies, antibodies to nuclear pore complexes, anti-centromere antibodies and anti-sp 100 antibodies etc. Clinical manifestations with signs and symptoms include organ inflammation, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, skin rash (malar rash), stiffness, persistent fever, pain in the feet and hands etc. Hence ANA / FANA tests are used to help diagnose autoimmune disorders such as Sjogren syndrome, psoriasis, SLE, autoimmune rheumatic disease (autoimmune disorder), certain forms of cancers etc. Systemic Lupus Erythematosis is a chronic disorder that affects multiple parts of the body including joints, blood vessels, kidneys, brain etc. Moreover, these ANAs also helps in detecting certain other conditions like primary biliary cirrhosis, multiple sclerosis, discoid lupus, thyroid disease, psoriatic arthritis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, autoimmune hepatitis, drug-induced lupus, infection etc. However, as many other conditions too like infections etc can also give a positive test (differential diagnosis) for the ANA test, further investigations are always necessary before the final conclusion for an Auto-immune ANA diagnosis (definitive diagnosis). FANA test is abbreviated as Fluorescent Anti-Nuclear Antibody Test. FANA is an indirect immunofluorescence antibody technique used for ANA detection and the results are expressed in terms of the patterns of fluorescence, the substrate used and the titer of a positive test etc. Other additional tests include the detection of antinuclear antibodies is performed by solid-phase assays, indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay or ELISA test as a standard blood test.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample collected from the vein. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
