Description

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can affect many parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain.

Symptom can include fatigue, joint pain, rash, fever, headaches, hair loss, mouth sores, shortness of breath, swollen glands, confusion, blood clots, and swelling in the arms, legs, or face.

This panel includes the following test:

Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Screen with Reflex to Titer and Pattern

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

Fasting not required.

Additional information about each test is listed below:

An "Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Screen with Reflex to Titer and Pattern" test is a blood test primarily used to help diagnose autoimmune diseases like lupus, by detecting the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the blood, and if positive, further analyzing the antibody level (titer) and its specific staining pattern to provide more information about the potential autoimmune condition involved; essentially acting as a screening test that, if positive, leads to additional testing for a more precise diagnosis.

In the context of lupus, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) serves as a marker to monitor the level of inflammation in the body, helping doctors assess the activity of the disease and track how well treatment is managing lupus flares, even though CRP itself is not specific to lupus and can be elevated in other inflammatory conditions as well.