Can anca go back to being negative and if so... - Vasculitis UK
Can anca go back to being negative and if so is this an indicator that things are improving.?
Yes, it can, and no, no necessarily. My anca levels reverted to normal (less than 3) in December 2009. Steroids were gradually withdrawn. By February 2010 I was in a major flare, with rapidly deteriorating kidney function, and needed high dose medication to bring things under control again. Your specialist may not realise that the anca level is only an indicator and should be taken with a lot of other test results, and a summary of how the patient is feeling, before discontinuing treatment. It is worth remembering that vasculitis is a life long condition and that patients should be monitored regularly, even though they feel well.
Hope this helps!
Ayla
Thanks Ayla
Great answer Ayla. Worth pointing out too that in some cases the reverse can be true and there are ANCA +ve patients who are in good health.
Healthy wishes.
Martin
I agree with everything Ayla and Martin have already said.
My husband is always ANCA+ve, but touch wood has been quite healthy this last few years.
Susan
How do you know if it's + or -? I think my consultants saidy markers were going down so I assumed that ANCA was negative... and does anyone know which one it is or shorthanded as when written on summary report... I know hb is blood and cre is creating for kidney.
Thank you.I'm beginning to think I Ha've nothing wrong with me at all...but then all the symptoms of vasculitis was there....ALL of them.
Thanks!
I am P- ANCA positive. But the antigen for P-ANCA which is normally MPO, is negative.The doctors think it inconclusive. C- anca is normally positive for PR3, which confirms vasculitis. So it's not the just the antibodies that are important but also the antigen. I was told that having a positive ANCA doesn't mean l am unwell, and could be just my make up. So it seems that healthy people can be positive for ANCA.
