Posts by briskranger132

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

You can't really diagnose Sjögren or SLE based solely on lab results—you need to meet a whole range of different clinical criteria for those specific diseases.

Without meeting those other markers, you might potentially end up with a diagnosis of possible Collagenosis, which basically means things need to be monitored closely. It's about watching for changes in your labs or any new symptoms over time—stuff that might eventually fulfill the criteria for a full systemic autoimmune disease down the road.

The thing is, anti SS-A (Ro) can actually show up in a tiny percentage of healthy people (based on studies of healthy blood donors), but at the same time, being positive for anti SS-A (Ro) could be a precursor to an autoimmune condition later on.

We know now that anti SS-A (Ro) isn't just one single antibody; it's actually made up of Ro52 and anti-Ro60, and they've found that these two are linked to very different clinical presentations and illnesses.

For instance, anti-Ro60 seems more closely tied to Sjögren, SLE, and subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE).

What that implies is that for someone who isn't showing symptoms but tests positive for anti-Ro60, there is a higher risk compared to the general population of developing a full clinical picture, like Sjögren’s, for example.

As for those CNS lesions seen on the MRI, it’s honestly pretty hard to say anything definitive or make sense of them without more context.

Maybe try asking in the Anesthesia/Resuscitation/ICU section.

Thank you for the response. I managed to see an immunologist, and he mentioned that I don't really meet the criteria for systemic autoimmune diseases yet, so maybe just a check-up once a year.

briskranger132 said:I have Hashimoto's too—my TSH is normal, but my Anti-TPO is over 1000 and my Anti-TG is elevated, too.

My ANA came back positive, just like yours did. Right now, I'm waiting on the results for the rest of the antibodies (like ENA, etc.)...

But my immunologist keeps telling me that regardless of the Hashimoto's, an ANA shouldn't be positive unless there’s some other systemic issue going on🤷...
Basically, according to him, the thyroid and the ANA aren't really linked at all. (I'm really hoping he's wrong about that)

Mostly, after the ANA came back positive, I ended up getting these specific tests done:

anti-dsDNA, SS-B/La, SM/RNP, ANTI-Scl-70, Jo-1, ACA-Cent B—all of them were negative.

The only one that was slightly positive was SS-A/Ro (Ro 60).

My protein levels were normal, and my ESR and CRP were fine, though my C3 was a little bit low.

As for symptoms, nothing stands out much—no joint pain, no rashes, no dry eyes or mouth... just some occasional lower back pain. My neurologist actually sent me for these tests because I had some dizzy spells a few years back. I basically had to beg a private specialist to give me a brain MRI, since everyone else kept blaming it on my neck issues, and they actually found a couple of lesions of unknown origin (none of the neurologists I saw—not even the specialists who look for things like Multiple Sclerosis—could quite figure them out)🤷...
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Could it be Sjögren's? (I notice it seems to pop up alongside Hashimoto's pretty often). And could that potentially be what's causing the brain lesions?
I'm also hoping it isn't SLE, especially since the anti-dsDNA was negative?

I'd love to hear any thoughts or comments you might have.

Michelle Murphy61 said:Thanks—my doctor actually mentioned that because of my Hashimoto's, I might see a positive ANA test result.

🙂

I'm dealing with Hashimoto's too—my TSH levels are normal, but my Anti TPO is over 1000 and my Anti TG is elevated as well.

I had my ANA tested and it came back positive, just like yours. Now I'm just waiting on the results for the other antibodies (like ENA and stuff like that...)

But my immunologist is telling me that regardless of the Hashimoto's, the ANA shouldn't be positive unless there's some other systemic issue going on🤷...
which means, according to him, there isn't really a connection between the thyroid and the ANA. (I'm really hoping he's wrong)

Maria Fisher46 said:At this point, I guess that figure would probably lean more toward a marginal or barely positive trend.

I guess you'll just have to wait for your immunologist to weigh in and give you their take on everything—there really isn't much else to be done until then.

I don't know, I feel like these units aren't really telling me much—maybe they just aren't giving the full picture.

🙂 It’s easy for everyone to talk big like that—honestly, I think people are underestimating how much they actually know about this stuff. I actually ended up calling an engineer over at the lab where my results were processed, and even she wasn't quite sure which specific titration level was being used for the test... I guess we really don't have all the answers.😕 I suppose she might need to look into enrolling in some kind of specialized programs—you know, to get things moving—but I guess it really depends on what she's aiming for. It’s probably worth exploring those options, though I'm not entirely sure which ones would be the best fit.
My primary care physician was actually a little bit stumped when I brought this up to her—she seemed pretty confused, honestly—and she didn't really give me any definitive answer or much guidance at all.
I've been scheduled for an appointment with an immunologist in Chicago—but get this—the wait time is exactly five months out.🙂

I really hope he'll be able to figure it out.🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

It’s honestly a bit tricky to say because assessments are usually based on the titer level rather than the specific U/ml value—which is what we're looking at here.

On top of that, every single lab seems to have its own specific range for what they consider "normal."

Plus, there are all these different methods used to determine ANA, and some are definitely more reliable than others.

Generally speaking, when ANA is reported as a titer, most labs consider anything between 1:40 and 1:80 to be positive—though if they're using the HEp-2 cell method, they often look for a titer of 1:160 or higher to call it positive.

So, if we assume a 1:80 titer is the cutoff for being positive, then the antibody value in your results would roughly correspond to a titer of about 1:160*. That would be considered a relatively low titer, something you might see in maybe 5% of healthy people.

However, if a 1:160 titer is what’s considered positive, then your result would equate to a 1:320, which occurs in about 3% of healthy individuals.

I really can't speculate on what this specific finding means for you, though—I don't have much experience interpreting ANA antibodies when they're expressed in U/ml instead of just titers.

Regarding the link between ANA and autoimmune thyroid issues—yes, a positive ANA can show up in people dealing with Hashimoto or Graves disease. It's also true that those with autoimmune thyroid conditions might face an increased risk for other autoimmune issues, including systemic ones.

But regardless, it isn't really standard practice to order an ANA "preventatively" for someone who already has an autoimmune thyroid condition.

ANA testing is typically only done when there's a genuine clinical suspicion of a systemic autoimmune disease, and the doctor ordering it should have specific reasons to do so (just having a Hashimoto diagnosis isn't enough on its own).

If the ANA comes back positive and there are actual clinical symptoms, then you'd move forward with further investigation to check for other antibodies.

Best regards. 🙂

*Just a quick note: this way of "converting" units into a titer is just my own logical reasoning—I haven't actually found any medical literature to back up this math, so I could be totally off base here, which I should probably mention.

This test was done using the ELISA method. I know every lab uses different scales, but looking through the literature for this specific method, negative values usually fall between 0 and 100.

Which means...

Then on the next page it says:
ANA: Negative Equivocal 100-200
Positive >120

🤷

ps. thanks for the help

Maria Fisher46 said:And what counts as a positive ANA titer?

Actually, perfectly healthy people can have (slightly) elevated ANA levels—meaning they come back positive—and I guess the general advice is usually not to run an ANA test unless there’s a legitimate suspicion of a systemic autoimmune disorder. It just seems like it creates all this unnecessary confusion and panic that isn't easy to untangle later on.

It's not measured in titers, but rather in units.
My ANA came back at 99 U/ml, while the reference range is 0-55.

I honestly have no idea if that’s considered a huge jump 🤷especially since when I had my Anti-TPO (for my thyroid) checked, those levels were over 1000, while the normal range goes up to 70...

A quick question for the doctors here:

Is it possible for Hashimoto's—specifically when dealing with significantly elevated Anti TPO and Anti TGO levels—to be linked to an increase in ANA? (Just to clarify, I'm not currently experiencing any symptoms of other autoimmune conditions)

I've noticed some conflicting information out there—one part of the medical literature suggests there isn't a connection, but then I come across plenty of other sources and studies that seem to suggest otherwise.🤷

Could someone please help me make sense of these lab results?

Fibrinogen 2.9 (1.8-3.5)

Total protein 73 (66-81)
IgA 1.63 (0.4-3.5)
IgM 2.23 (0.5-3)
IgG 12.29 (6.5-16)

Vitamin B12 395 (179-1162)
Folic acid 4.6 (3.1-20.5)

Serum protein electrophoresis
Albumin 62.0 (55.8-66.1)
Alpha1 2.8 (2.9-4.9)
Alpha2 9.1 (7.1-11.8)
Beta 8.6 (8.4-13.1)
Gamma 17.5 (11.1-18.8)

The reason for testing: cerebral demyelination—though doctors aren't sure about the origin of the lesions, as they don't point toward MS based on location or my symptoms (VEP and BERA were both negative), plus Hashimoto thyroiditis, euthyroid state, and mitral and tricuspid valve prolapse/insufficiency.

My other blood work—CBC, metabolic panel, liver tests, transaminases, CRP... everything seems normal, except for slightly low blood sugar when fasting.

I'm still waiting on my ANA results, along with testing for Lyme disease and neurotropic viruses.

I also had a Transcranial Doppler ultrasound done, so if anyone could help interpret that too, I'd appreciate it.
The report says:
Normal anterior circulation flow with physiological direction. Bilateral vertebrogenic spectral changes, though left-side flow remains preserved, albeit slightly attenuated on the left side.

Symptoms: occasional brain fog and brief, mild dizzy spells. My neurological exam was clear. Every neurologist I've seen blames my neck; an MRI showed reduced lordosis and a C5-C6 disc-osteophyte complex protrusion.