A member asked:

Would an ana blood test be positive in someone with sarcoid since it is an autoimmune disorder?

13 doctors weighed in across 4 answers
Dr. Thomas Namey answered

Specializes in Rheumatology

Can but not usual!: ANA positivity is not specifically a feature of sarcoid. 5% of the population has a "false" positive ana. And many autoimmune problems (actually most) are not associated with a positive ana.

Answered 6/10/2014

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Yes, but: ANA can be positive in sarcoidosis. Calling it autoimmune is a classification, nothing more.

Answered 6/10/2014

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No: Until somebody convincingly presents the scientific community with the autoantigen in diseases like sarcoidosis, psoriasis, crohn's, and their family, I am not ready to call sarcoidosis an "autoimmune disease." immune dysregulation, probably. Most sarcoid patients do not have significant ANA on board, and neither do many other autoimmune diseases.

Answered 6/10/2014

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ANA not in sarcoid: ANA, or anti-nuclear antibody, is a sensitive and specific test for systemic lupus erythematosus only at high titer >1:320. A low titer positive ANA, such as 1:40 may be detected in up to 1 in 10 HEALTHY women. Sarcoidosis is a disease of hyperactive immune cells BUT it is not characterized by specific antibodies like ANA. Someone with sarcoid would not be expected to have a high-titer ANA.

Answered 11/23/2014

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