The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 125, Issue 2, Supplement 2 , Pages S238-S247, February 2010

Diagnostic testing and interpretation of tests for autoimmunity

  • Christine Castro, DO

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Christine Castro, DO, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, CRC, Room 5, SEN–5-3481, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    • ,
  • Mark Gourley, MD

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md

Received 14 July 2009; accepted 15 September 2009. published online 11 January 2010.

Laboratory testing is of great value when evaluating a patient with a suspected autoimmune disease. The results can confirm a diagnosis, estimate disease severity, aid in assessing prognosis and are useful for following disease activity. Components of the laboratory examination include a complete blood count with differential, a comprehensive metabolic panel, measurement of inflammatory markers and autoantibodies, and flow cytometry. This chapter discusses these components and includes a discussion about organ-specific immunologic diseases for which immunologic laboratory testing is used. Comprehensive laboratory evaluation of a suspected autoimmune illness in conjunction with a thorough clinical evaluation provides a better understanding of a patient's immunologic disease.

Key words: Autoimmune, disease, laboratory, inflammatory markers, evaluation, rheumatic, serologies, flow cytometry, HLA, organ specific

Abbreviations used: ACE, Angiotensin-converting enzyme, AIHA, Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, ALT, Alanine transaminase, ANA, Antinuclear antibody, ANCA, Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, Anti-GBM, Anti–glomerular basement membrane, aPL, Antiphospholipid, APS, Anti–phospholipid antibody syndrome, AST, Aspartate aminotransferase, cANCA, Cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, CBC, Complete blood count, CCP, Cyclic citrullinated peptide, CH50, Plasma total hemolytic complement assay, CK, Creatinine kinase, CRP, C-reactive protein, CSS, Churg-Strauss syndrome, DM, Dermatomyositis, dsDNA, Double-stranded DNA, ESR, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, IBM, Inclusion body myositis, IIM, Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, JIA, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, LDH, Lactate dehydrogenase, MPA, Microscopic polyangiitis, MPO, Myeloperoxidase, pANCA, Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, PM, Polymyositis, PR3, Proteinase 3, RA, Rheumatoid arthritis, RBC, Red blood cell, RF, Rheumatoid factor, RIA, Radioimmunoassay, RNP, Ribonucleoprotein, SLE, Systemic lupus erythematosus, SRP, Signal recognition particle, WBC, White blood cell, WG, Wegener granulomatosis

 

 Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(09)01460-2

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2009.09.041

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 125, Issue 2, Supplement 2 , Pages S238-S247, February 2010

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