positive ANA

[minnie76]

Hi guys,

Back from my Rheumy, she said that my ANA tested positive, and CRP elevated too...but the other marker for Lupus was not positive. She asked when I see my neuro again cause I have inflammation.

Her words were " even if I diagnosed you with Lupus today, it doesn't account for all your other symptoms"


Does anyone diagnosed with MS have a positive ANA?

Is there any blood work that may point to MS?

Thanks,

Minnie76

[MSer102]

My ANA was a little high but my doctor said that happens sometimes even in perfectly healthy people so it doesn't necessarily mean anything. And he said that ANA is anti nuclear antibody which has to do with the nucleus of cells. That isn't what goes wrong in MS so ANA doesn't have anything to do with MS.

There is no blood test that identifies MS for diagnosis. It would be so much easier if there were!

There have been genes identified that are involved in MS but researchers haven't yet figured out how they work. And just having a genetic predisposition doesn't mean that a person will develop MS, just like with other diseases. And there have been some other biomarkers associated with MS but researchers don't know how they work or what they indicate so they aren't being used for diagnosis either. So there currently is no blood test that has enough meaning to be used for the diagnosis of MS.

[Anomalie]

ANA

In addition to RRMS I have also been dx'd with MCTD (Mixed connective Tissue disease)
I have been told that MCTD is a umbrella of several diseases, including Lupus that was created because not enough markers
of one particular disease is apparent.

My Rheumy has done ANA testing on me a few times...

Consistently high end is 1:2650(my result)
(normal is 1:40)

She said that she has found that a large number of her patients
like me (having MS as well) are showing elevated ANA levels.

Last week she ordered more blood work to narrow in on what kind of MCTD I have.

Its worth the extra tests for me...so I know what I'm possibly
what I am dealing with. Good luck!