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Antinuclear antibodies using HEp‐2 cells in normal children and in children with common infections
Author(s) -
ALLEN R. C.,
DEWEZ P.,
STUART L.,
GATENBY P. A.,
STURGESS A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1991.tb00343.x
Subject(s) - anti nuclear antibody , medicine , connective tissue , antibody , immunofluorescence , pathology , connective tissue disease , immunology , indirect immunofluorescence , autoimmune disease , autoantibody
Antinuclear antibody (ANA) immunofluorescence tests, using HEp‐2 cells, were performed on 100 children without a history of connective tissue disease. Eighteen (18%) were positive at titres < 1:40, nine (9%) being greater than 1:160. Interlaboratory variability was demonstrated with some specimens. No association with possible intercurrent infection was found to account for positive results. Of 44 children with proven infections five (11%) were positive. Antinuclear antibody may be found in some normal children when using the sensitive HEp‐2 cell substrate, and in the absence of clinical features should not necessarily suggest the presence of a connective tissue disease.