Most lupus patients are familiar with the dsDNA antibody blood test. Like the ANA result, it is a blood test most closely related to lupus. Occasionally a positive dsDNA result can be seen in other conditions. But, the presence of a dsDNA antibody is considered specific for a diagnosis of lupus. As there are multiple ways a lab may detect a dsDNA, there still remains the possibility of a false positive, but a positive dsDNA result warrants a trip to the rheumatologist. (Reminder = “false positive” simply means the test is positive, yet the patient doesn’t have the condition associated with that result) Patients often are referred to a rheumatologist with a notebook full of labs, mostly of all varieties of antibodies and it is overwhelming.
[Read more…] about Know the facts about your dsDNA antibodyAuto-antibodies
The TPO Antibody explained
Autoimmune thyroid disease is common but can be confusing. A big component of the diagnosis is the blood test for TPO antibodies. TPO stands for Thyroid Peroxidase and it is vitally important for the production of thyroid hormone (which impacts almost every system in our body…so yeah, it’s important). Those with an antibody for TPO can then develop problems producing thyroid hormone and a slew of problems can follow.
[Read more…] about The TPO Antibody explainedWhy a +RF test doesn’t always mean you have Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you’ve ever seen a doctor because of persistent hand pain or hand swelling or even knee pain it is quite possible you’ve had the Rheumatoid Factor test done. When it comes back positive it is easy to assume that it means you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I mean, obviously, it has the same name in it, “Rheumatoid.” But as with most things antibody related, it’s not that simple. The Rheumatoid Factor can be positive in a lot of different conditions aside from Rheumatoid Arthritis and the chance of having a positive Rheumatoid Factor blood test goes up as we get older.
Learn more about the Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the above video and take notes. Having more information will help you understand your own labs results and get you more prepared for your own doctor’s visit. 
The ANA test explained
Getting blood tests done that you aren’t familiar with can be nerve-wracking. One of the most common blood tests rheumatologists get asked about is the Anti-Nuclear Antibody test, or ANA. It is often associated with SLE (lupus) but it can be positive in a number of other conditions. Before jumping to conclusions, it’s important to know what a positive ANA means and what it doesn’t. Learn more in today’s video!
Cheers!
Dr. Ortiz