What is ANA HEp-2 cell Quant?

The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) indicates the possibility of autoimmunity and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay on HEp-2 cells is the standard blood test (ANA-HEp-2) used to detect ANA. However, studies have shown that a “false-positive” ANA test occurs in up to 13% of healthy individuals.

What does ANA HEp-2 positive mean?

An ANA-HEp-2 test result was considered positive when a clear ANA pattern was observed at 1:80 dilution in 2 distinct commercial HEp-2 slides by 2 blinded independent observers. Results: ANAs were present in 118 healthy individuals (12.9%) and 138 patients with ARDs (90.2%).

What is a HEp-2 cell?

Hep-2/Hep2 cells are invaluable for researchers engaged in the analysis of autoantibodies, and they are currently one of the most common substrates for antinuclear antibody detection by immunofluorescence [6,7]. The Hep-2 cell line was first specifically described by H.W. Toolan in 1954 [8].

Why are HEp-2 cells used?

The HEp-2 cell, a native protein array with hundreds of antigens, provides an ideal substrate for the detection of ANA1. The detection of ANA in human serum is an important screening tool for connective tissue diseases, and IIF is the reference method for ANA testing1.

Is a positive ANA test bad?

Positive diagnosis A positive result on an ANA test may help a doctor to diagnose an autoimmune disorder. However, if after a positive result neither the person nor the doctor recognizes any signs or symptoms, the medical team may disregard the result.

Can a HEp-2 IFA assay be used for ANA screening?

Along with subjectivity of interpretation, HEp-2 IFA assays are also vulnerable to standardization issues similar to other methods for ANA screening. Patients with autoimmune disease often produce antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) that can be detected by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) techniques using a HEp-2 cell substrate.

When is an ANA positive HEp-2 test considered positive?

ANA-positive healthy individuals for whom data were available were reevaluated after 3.6-5.0 years. An ANA-HEp-2 test result was considered positive when a clear ANA pattern was observed at 1:80 dilution in 2 distinct commercial HEp-2 slides by 2 blinded independent observers.

What was the agreement rate for the HEp-2 assay?

Agreement of the 5 assays was 78%. Within the specific groups of serum samples, agreement ranged from 44% in scleroderma serum samples to 93% in healthy control subjects, with 72% agreement in the SLE group.

How is IFA and EIA used to evaluate Ana?

Here, we evaluated ANA in 400 consecutive and unselected routinely referred patients using IFA and automated EIA techniques. The IFA results generated by two independent laboratories were compared with the EIA results from antibodies against double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), from ANA screening, and from tests of the seven included subantigens.

What is ANA HEp-2 cell Quant? The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) indicates the possibility of autoimmunity and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay on HEp-2 cells is the standard blood test (ANA-HEp-2) used to detect ANA. However, studies have shown that a “false-positive” ANA test occurs in up to 13% of healthy individuals. What does…