Is it common to have a positive ANA?
At a dilution of 1:160, only 5 percent of normal individuals have a positive test for ANA. The 1:160 dilution increases the specificity of the ANA test for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases.
What happens after a positive ANA test?
If your ANA test results are positive, your health care provider will likely order more tests, especially if you have symptoms of disease. If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
Can you have positive ANA without having lupus?
One source cites that some ten million Americans have a positive ANA, but fewer than 1 million of them have lupus. Therefore, a positive ANA test alone is never enough to diagnosis systemic lupus. Rather, a physician will order an ANA test if the patient first exhibits other signs of lupus.
Should I be worried about a positive ANA test?
Remember, a positive ANA does not equal an autoimmune disease. But also remember that if it is determined that you do have an autoimmune disease, there are treatment options for it. So if you have a positive ANA, don’t panic.