title: Comparison and evaluation of different methodologies and tests for detection of anti-dsDNA antibodies on 889 Slovenian patients' and blood donors' sera.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate four different commercially available assays for anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) detection and compare them with the in-house radioimmunoassay according to Farr (FARR-RIA) in order to select the optimal primary method for use in combination with FARR-RIA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 583 consecutive patients sent to our laboratory for routine diagnosis, 156 selected patients with autoimmune diseases (76 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients and 80 patients with other autoimmune diseases), and 150 blood donors were tested for anti-dsDNA antibodies with two enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA), two Crithidia luciliae immunofluorescence tests (CLIFT), and FARR-RIA. The specificities and sensitivities of the tests were calculated and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FARR-RIA and CLIFT 2 showed the highest specificity for SLE (100%), with CLIFT 2 showing higher sensitivity (33% vs 47%). Both ELISAs showed higher sensitivities (>53%) than FARR-RIA but lower specificities (<93%), whereas CLIFT 1 showed the lowest overall agreement with FARR-RIA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CLIFT 2 was selected as the primary test for use in combination with FARR-RIA. The use of CLIFT 2 reduced the number of sera that needed to be tested by FARR-RIA, the time needed to report the results, and environmental toxicity, cancerogenicity, and radioactivity.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Department of Rheumatology, Immunology Laboratory, Vodnikova 62, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Polona
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zigon
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lakota
authors.forename: Sasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cucnik
authors.forename: Tinka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Svec
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambrozic
authors.forename: Snezna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sodin-Semrl
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kveder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D001782:Blood Donors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017524:Slovenia
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004247:DNA