Autoimmune Testing
More than 100 human autoimmune diseases affecting various body parts and systems have been identified to date. Choose from a variety of autoimmune testing products to help you detect some of these conditions in your patients.
Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's natural protective systems can no longer distinguish between normal cells and foreign cells or tissue.
Common autoimmune diseases include:
- Celiac disease
- Connective tissue diseases
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus)
- Thyroid diseases
Featured Autoimmune Testing Products
Autoimmune Disease Testing
Most autoimmune diseases have an unknown etiology and general or varied symptoms that can make diagnosis more difficult. Autoimmune disease testing can be helpful in diagnosing some of these conditions, however. Specific symptoms combined with specific blood markers can help demonstrate an autoimmune disease.
Although no single test can help diagnose every autoimmune disease, some blood tests can be used to detect inflammatory processes, which are characteristic for these illnesses.
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Other diagnostic autoimmune testing products may assay for antibodies known to be associated with specific disease conditions. These include initial screening for antinuclear antibody (ANA) to detect the presence of antibodies to specific cell nucleus components.
Other in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests may assess the presence of more specific antibodies, like the ones for celiac disease. This lifelong condition can produce chronic inflammation and damage the small intestinal mucosa when one ingests gluten, a water-insoluble wheat gliadin or the prolamins in rye and barley.
Scientists have identified tissue transglutaminase (tTG) as the major autoantigen in the disease. Antibodies directed to tTG and to gliadin are used in serological tests for celiac disease. Serological tests for rheumatoid arthritis are also available.
Some autoimmune disorders have been found to have a genetic basis, and some susceptibility genes have been identified. However, the identical twins of patients often do not have the same disease, which may indicate environmental triggers to illnesses.
In genetic studies, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) has emerged as the locus with the strongest association. HLA testing has historically been performed to determine tissue compatibility for organ transplantation.