title: From ANA-screening to antigen-specificity: an EASI-survey on the daily practice in European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the main goals of the European Autoimmunity Standardisation Initiative (EASI) is the harmonisation of test-algorithms for autoantibodies related to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was used to gather information on methodology, interpretation, and the algorithm for detection of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in relation to their antigen-specificity. The questionnaire was sent to 1200 laboratories in 12 European countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 47.2%. The results reveal not only apparent differences between countries, but also within countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of these differences may as such already stimulate harmonisation, but the observed differences may also direct recommendations that may further contribute to achieving the EASI goal of harmonisation of autoimmune diagnostics for SARD.
authors.affiliation: Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. jan.damoiseaux@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agmon-Levin
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Blerk
authors.forename: Valentyna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chopyak
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heijnen
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: Kolbjorn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Høgåsen
authors.forename: Lucile
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Musset
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radice
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rego de Sousa
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viander
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005060:Europe; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D059021:Laboratory Proficiency Testing; D015588:Observer Variation; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000592:standards*; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015415:Biomarkers