EDITORIAL - ANA-negative lupus as a distinct diagnostic entity - does it no longer exist?

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Oxford Journals

QJM

Commentary

2004; 97: 303-308

" Antinuclear antibody-negative lupus as a distinct diagnostic entity - does

it no longer exist? "

Excerpt:

" While the concept of ANA-negative lupus appeared to be a genuine phenomenon

a few decades ago, current evidence from the literature and experience in

large centres29 suggests that true ANA-negative lupus is an extremely rare

event. Indeed, Wallace was recently moved to comment that 'the 1990's saw

the near demise of ANA-negative lupus as human substrates (Hep-2) replaced

animal tissues for detecting ANA'.11 We suspect that Wallace's prophecy will

be fulfilled following the long overdue acceptance by immunology

laboratories that Hep-2 cells are the best substrate for ANA testing. We

have written this commentary in the hope of stimulating discussion on

ANA-negative lupus, and challenging conventional dogma on its prevalence.

If, in the era of Hep-2 cells, it does exist as a distinct entity, it is

time to consider the establishment of a registry of such cases. "

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/5/303

Not an MD

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org