1. Analysis of Antinuclear Antibody Test Referral Patterns in a Tertiary Care Hospital over Three Years: A Retrospective Observational Study
- Author
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MVNL RamMohan, Sayeeda Begum, Sukanya Sudhaharan, Sudha Talasila, and Vijay Dharma Teja
- Subjects
indirect immunofluorescence ,mitotic patterns ,pretest probability ,rare antinuclear antibodies patterns ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
Introduction: Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) detection by Human Epithelial Substrate (Hep2) is the recommended screening test for the diagnosis of ANA-Associated Rheumatic Diseases (AARD). ANA is ordered by various specialists in a tertiary care hospital, and a positive ANA result is followed by testing for specific autoantibodies. High pretest probability, pattern type with intensity, and referral departments are key factors determining the autoimmune diagnosis. Aim: To analyse the ANA referral patterns among the various departments and also to estimate the prevalence and clinical significance of rare ANA patterns. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, a tertiary care hospital, in Hyderabad, Telangana, India where ANA test reports (n=16,994) from various departments over three years (November 2017 to October 2020) were evaluated between November 2022 to December 2022. ANA tests were performed on Hep2 substrate at a 1:100 dilution, and ANA patterns were reported according to the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) nomenclature. Statistical analysis of department-wise ANA positivity and fluorescence intensity was conducted, and the final diagnoses of patients with rare ANA patterns (
- Published
- 2024
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