Related Experiment Videos
Standards for ANA and anti-DNA.
1Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Central Laboratory of The Netherlands, Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Amsterdam.
Clinical Rheumatology
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Standardized reagents for antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing are crucial for accurate diagnosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Arthritis Foundation (AF)/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provide essential reference materials for ANA determination.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Clinical Chemistry
- Laboratory Medicine
Background:
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing is vital for diagnosing autoimmune diseases.
- Interlaboratory variations in ANA determination can impact diagnostic accuracy.
- Standardized reference materials are needed to improve consistency in ANA testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history, production, characteristics, and availability of ANA reference standards.
- To advocate for the use of available WHO and AF/CDC reference reagents.
- To provide guidance on obtaining these critical reference materials.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of historical and current practices in ANA standardization.
- Identification and description of available reference reagents from WHO, AF, and CDC.
- Information compilation on the types of ANA for which standards are available.
Main Results:
- WHO recognizes standard reagents for homogeneous ANA and anti-DNA, enabling results in international units and reducing variations.
- AF and CDC provide reference reagents for anti-Sm, anti-Ro (SS-A), anti-La (SS-B), anti-Scl 70, and anti-Jo-1.
- A WHO reference reagent is available for anti-nRNP.
Conclusions:
- The use of WHO and AF/CDC reference materials is strongly advocated for improving ANA test accuracy.
- Standardization through international units and reference reagents decreases interlaboratory variability.
- Availability of specific reference reagents facilitates reliable diagnosis of various autoimmune conditions.