title: Role of autoantibody testing.
abstract: Autoantibodies are the serological hallmark of autoimmune disease. Though their pathogenic role is debatable, they play an important role in the management of a patient with rheumatic disease. However, due to their presence in the general population as well as in multiple autoimmune diseases, the presence of an autoantibody alone does not make a diagnosis; the result has to be interpreted along with clinical findings. Similarly, the absence of autoantibody does not exclude a disease. The common autoantibodies used in clinical practice include rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and anti-phospholipid antibodies. Once an autoantibody to a broad antigen is detected in a patient, sub-specificity analysis can improve the utility of the antibody. Autoantibodies are detected in the serum using different assays and results of which can vary; thus, it is important for a clinician to know the method used, its sensitivity and specificity to help in the proper interpretation of the laboratory results. This review will address these issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India. Electronic address: aa.amita@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D001323:Autoantibodies; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor
keywords: Anti-dsDNA antibodies; Autoantibody; Automation; ELISA; Protein arrays