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So I'm feverishyly learning all about positive ANA results 
because my sister just told me that hers were off the 
chart.

Got this from an online source: {An antinuclear antibody 
(ANA) test measures the amount and pattern of abnormal 
antibody that work against the body's tissues 
(autoantibody). Everyone has a small amount of 
autoantibody, but about 5% of people have a larger amount. 
About half of these 5% have an autoimmune disease, such as 
systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. An 
ANA test alone cannot diagnose a specific disease.}

The following message from my sister reads in part, "The 
ANA level on my blood was higher than they can 
calculate…it was greater than 1:640.  The doctor says that 
ANA tests have a lot of false positives, but since my 
level is so high, he does not think it’s a false positive. 
 He sent me to get a bunch more blood work done (they had 
to draw 5 more vials).  I guess that I probably have some 
kind of connective tissue disorder/disease….I think they 
are all autoimmune disorders.  I won’t know the results of 
this series of blood tests ‘til I go to the doctor’s on 
March 13th."

I also found the following info.

Statistically speaking the incidence of positive ANA (in 
percent) per conditon is:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE) - over 95%
Progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) - 60-90%
Rheumatoid Arthritis - 25-30%
Sjogren's syndrome - 40-70%
Felty's syndrome - 100%
Juvenile arthritis - 15-30%

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The positive result is usually something like 1:80 or 
1:120, so what in the world would 1:640 be?

Would it still be one of the above conditions? Or 
something even worse, I fear.

Does anyone have any personal experience with extremely 
high antinuclear antibody levels (ANA)? She presents with 
no symptoms, that I am aware, but is on synthroid for 
hypothyroidism. She has never suspected celiac disease, 
and tells me that she was tested (w/ negative results) 
years ago when I was diagnosed. Our mother has multiple 
sclerosis.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Megan

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