Just a quick question

[Hopey]

Had my rhematology appointment a month ago my thuemy was happy that plaquenil seems to be working blood results back within normal limits rhuemy says ctd and fibro (lyrica for fibro) my question is anti rnp, dsdna, ana positive does this indicate sle or mctd? no malar rash so am just trying to work out what i am dealing with

[Joyalinc]

It definitely sounds like SLE if you have ever had any of those antibodies positive. (anti rnp, dsdna, ana, etc). There are people who are seronegative meaning that the antibodies "hide" in their blood, therefore causing the lupus tests to be false negatives. It took me 15 years with a MCTD diagnosis until finally in 2011, my heart got attacked by Lupus causing Pericarditis. It was then that my specialist told me that it IS Lupus that I'm dealing with, not MCTD. When I asked her why it took damage to my heart before she 'do give me an official SLE diagnosis, she admitted that sometimes there are seronegative patients in whom the antibodies can "hide" from blood tests. Especially if you are taking steroids or any lupus meds because they will throw the test off. Antibody testing on blood whose owner had been taking steroids is going to throw the tests off . I'm sorry you're going through so much. I hope the docs get you figured out so you can start appropriate treatment for SLE. Btw I never had the malar rash either until 2011. Everybody with lupus presents differently. Hope this helped some. I'm halfway asleep! hugs!❤️

[misty14]

Hi Hopey

There is a particular antibody I think that has to be present for a diagnosis of MCTD . It looks like your Rheumy is keeping an open mind on diagnosis by saying CTD. Main thing is your treatment is working. Hope I've helped?. X

[Dawn1977]

Im not sure what anti rnp is, but I am ana positive and anti dsdna and I have a diagnosis of lupus but I've never had the malar rash. I think everyone presents differently though. As long as your treatment seems to be working though, I wouldn't be too concerned but next appointment with your rheumy, ask if they have a firm diagnosis for you

[Hopey]

Thanks everyone rnp is one of the antibodies from the ena testing and says its for mctd or sle thats what my confusion is maybe my next appointment early next year might shed some more light on things heres hoping

[misty14 in reply to Hopey]

Hi Hopey

Anti-rnp antibody is the specific one for MCTD so you need that result to distinguish between it and SLE. Diagnosis is a like a jigsaw puzzle! Hope I've helped?.X

[hperkins26]

This is interesting to know that these anti-bodies can hide. I started having bilateral hand pain about a year and a half ago. At that time, all my tests were negative. A year and a half later, still have the intermittent hand pain and now right knee pain. I went to a new rheumatologist who did more bloodwork. Now my aNA is positive and I also have chromatin and anti double stranded DNA auto antibodies. So she's calling me undifferentiated connective tissue disorder because I have no other symptoms but the joint pain. I just started Plaquenil today. I hope it helps.