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What Does My Blood Test Indicate?

Posted on Thu, 11 Jun 2015

Question: Last ANA blood test showed 1:40 with positive nucleolar pattern. Is this normal

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (52 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
1:40 is low titre. Nucleolar pattern common for scleroderma.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thank you for asking HCM.

I have gone through your query. With out any specific disease also you can have positive ANA with low titre levels like 1:40. But positive ANA is more significant if Anti ds DNA is positive also. Nucleolar pattern is common for scleroderma. It should be correlated clinically.

If ANA is negative SLE is most unlikely but a positive ANA alone can't be used as a criteria for its diagnosis also.

Hope this may help you. Let me know if anything not clear.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Nishad BN (1 hour later)

Can this be related to Raynaud and what is scleroderma.

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Raynaud syndrome is also present in scleroderma.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and Welcome.

Thank you for your follow up query.

Scleroderma is systemic sclerosis. It is characterised by presence of CREST syndrome which is short form for combination of manifestations like calcinosis, Raynaud, esophageal manifestations, sclerodactily and telangiectasia. So Raynaud is a component of this also.

Hope this may help you. Let me know if anything not clear.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Nishad BN (22 minutes later)

I have a history of elevated ra factor for years one was as high as 212 is this related in anyway

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Rheumatoid factor can be present in SLE and scleroderma also.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome again.

Thank you for your follow up query.

Rheumatoid factor can be present in scleroderma and SLE (systemic lupus erythematosis) also although it is mainly found in rheumatoid arthritis.

A complete ANA profile test will be helpful in this case. A consultation with a Rheumatologist is well appreciated.

Let me know if anything not clear.
I am happy to help you.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Nishad BN (7 hours later)

I was told by rheumatologist I don't have RA and another one told me I had Raynaud. Is there anything else it could be. Scleroderma doesn't seem to fit for me because I don't have the skin condition associated with it. Can you just have an abnormal ANA and RA factor and it means nothing is wrong

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
ANA and RA factor can be positive in any auto immune conditions.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome again.

Thank you for your follow up.

ANA and Rheumatoid factor can be positive in any of the auto immune diseases like Lupus, scleroderma, sjogren syndrome,polymyositis ,mixed connective tissue disease and auto immune hepatitis.

As you have raynaud i suspect towards mixed connective tissue disease. This initially manifest as raynaud ( cold ,numb or whitish appearance or swelling of fingers or toes. Other manifestation like kidney or lungs should be checked for. In mixed connective tissue disease manifestations will come one after the other.

ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation) test and hemoglobin level for anemia should be checked. ESR and anemia is a hallmark for active autoimmune disease also. Only in such case treatment like corticosteroids or immunosuppresants will be needed. For raynaud drugs like alpha blockers or calcium channel blockers are used.

Treatment should be given for the clinical manifestations you have. Mere presence of ANA or RA is not a prerequisite for treatment.

Let me know if anything not clear.
I am happy to help anytime.
Thanks.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj