Is there a single autoimmune blood test or do you have to have individual ones for each possible illness?

[beaton]

[HarryE]

I think there is an overarching one which can give a clue that something is going on, but I do think the individual ones are needed for diagnosis.

[beaton in reply to HarryE]

Thanks Harry, I know I have hashimoto's and I know I have Psoriasis and Psoriatic arthritis. Just wondered if I could join these up. Might save time.Or get different hospital departments to talk to each other.

[HarryE in reply to beaton]

Oh I wish!

[beaton in reply to HarryE]

Me too

[Clutter]

There are separate tests for each, Beaton ie Lupus, SLE, Sjorgrens, Pernicious Anaemia, Rheumatoid Arthritis etc. etc.

[beaton in reply to Clutter]

Stupid isn't it,that's an armful of blood.

[Clutter]

You sound like Frankie Howard

Its not much blood but I imagine the cost of screening when there aren't symptoms would be very expensive.

[beaton in reply to Clutter]

It's costs the NHS don't want to pay.

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Made me think of Tony Hancock in the Blood Donor Script. I still laugh if I ever hear it on Radio 4 Extra.

[beaton in reply to Hidden]

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Lol, and he'd only had the finger prick to test for type when he kicked off

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

I meant, Tony Hancock, of course, doh!

[foreversummer]

I had an "autoimmune screen" but I've no idea what it covered because no one seemed to know!

[beaton in reply to foreversummer]

Thanks,might have to find out if I can get this sorted.xx

[helvella Administrator]

Often the word "antibody" is used as they are all the same thing! There are, in fact, a huge number: "It has been estimated that humans generate about 10 billion different antibodies, each capable of binding a distinct epitope of an antigen."

One NHS lab says this:

Immunology - autoimmune testing

These tests are done by Immunology and require 5-10 mL clotted blood with full clinical details. Other autoimmune tests not listed here may be done in other sections and have different sample requirements - if in doubt as to what sample to take, please contact the laboratory.

The interpretation of all autoantibody tests is highly dependent on the likelihood of disease in the patient. The results should always be interpreted with the clinical features of the patient and never in isolation. Autoantibodies may be present in healthy individuals and may also occur transiently with intercurrent illness or may be induced by drug therapy. Conversely, autoimmune disease may be present in the absence of detectable autoantibodies. Do not use these tests as ‘screens’ for autoimmune disease but rather decide the clinical diagnosis and the likelihood of autoimmune disease and use specific autoantibody tests as diagnostic aids.

ImmunologyAnti-nuclear (ANA), double-stranded DNA antibody and extractable nuclear antigen antibodies

Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) patterns

Double-stranded DNA antibody

Extractable nuclear antigen antibodies

(Ro antibody, La antibody, Sm antibody, RNP antibody, Scl70 antibody, Jo 1 antibody)

ImmunologyTissue specific autoantibodies

Gastric parietal cell antibody

Mitochondrial antibody (M2)

Smooth muscle antibody

Liver, kidney microsomal (LKM) antibody

ImmunologyAnti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody

ImmunologyCardiolipin antibody

ImmunologyGluten sensitive enteropathy (coeliac disease) testing

Endomysial antibody

Tissue transglutaminase (TTG) antibody

ImmunologySpecialist autoantibody tests

Adrenal cortex antibody

C1q antibodies

Cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody

Ovarian antibody

Pancreatic islet cell antibody

Skin antibody

Striated muscle antibody

ImmunologyNeurological disease

ImmunologySpecific IgE (allergy) tests

pathology.bsuh.nhs.uk/Patho...

Rod

[beaton in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod.xx Think I'll have to read this a couple of times.x

[TSH110]

The on line thyroid conference has been pushing array 5 by cytex labs (sponsors of the event, so bear that in mind) but it looks like it is impossible to order it except through a practitioner and it is USA based:

cyrexlabs.com/CyrexTestsArr...

[beaton in reply to TSH110]

:/