What are these blood tests?

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi everyone

So I’ve now been referred back into the NHS and received a letter from my neurologist. In it he asked me to call into the drop in phlebotomy service at the hospital for the following blood tests:

  • lupus anticoagulant

  • serum ACE

  • antinuclear antibodies

  • anticardiolipin antibodies.

The first one is pretty self-explanatory but does anyone know, in layman’s terms, what’s the other rests are? I guess it’s to rule things in or out, but just wondered specifically what they are?

Thanks :slight_smile:

x

2

Serum ACE = Serum angiotensin-converting-enzyme. High levels indicate a condition called sarcoidosis that causes inflamation of the organs.

3

Antinuclear antibodies - indicators of some auto-immune conditions such as Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

4

Anticardiolipin antibodies - test for a certain type of fat in the blood common in people with certain types of auto-immune conditions such as Lupus.

5

Sounds like your Neuro is definitively trying to test for Lupus (or definitively rule it out). I think (but not 100% sure) that I had these done immediately prior to my diagnosis - I had the blood test to end all blood tests - SEVEN phials of blood! - as well as chest XRays and other screening tests.

6

For once, I am saying that Google is your friend. Wikipedia has good info on things like this without too much hysteria!

7

Hi Boblatina

Thanks very much for this. I did have a bit of a Google and thought it pointed to testing for Lupus but there’s no better people to ask than those who have gone through it.

There was mention of sarcoidosis on my MRI report as the ON lesion appeared atypical … I’ve no other symptoms of that though as far as I’m aware.

Besides occasional fatigue I don’t have any of the symptoms I’ve read about for lupus either. I guess he’s got to be thorough though!

x