What does high ANA actually mean?

[NyMe18]

I was finally tested for autoimmune and was told my ANA was high. I was referred to a rheumatologist who I will see at the end of the month. I’m not sure I feel like my joints suffer very much, yes sure I can be slightly sore often but I live a hectic life and am very unfit so I kind of expect that..

What exactly does the ANA mean. What autoimmune can it point to? I have so many questions now but of course whenever in the doctors office I just sit dumbfounded.

[Red_Star]

I have 5 autoimmune diseases with negative ANA.  But none are rheumatic diseases. I do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis from that list.  Sensitivity means as the proportion of people with the disease who will have a positive result.

Excerpt from Rhematology -Know Your Labs...

"TABLE 1: SENSITIVITY OF THE ANA IN AUTOIMMUNE AND NONRHEUMATIC DISEASE

Autoimmune Disease

SLE: 95–100%
Scleroderma: 60–80%
Mixed connective tissue disease: 100%
Polymyositis/dermatomyositis: 61%
Rheumatoid arthritis: 52%
Rheumatoid vasculitis: 30–50%
Sjögren's syndrome: 40–70%
Drug-induced lupus: 100%
Discoid lupus: 15%
Pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis: 71%

Nonrheumatic Disease

Hashimoto's thyroiditis: 46%
Graves' disease: 50%
Autoimmune hepatitis: 100%
Primary autoimmune cholangitis: 100%
Primary pulmonary hypertension: 40%"

[NyMe18]

I’m surprised the Sjögren’s is so “low”, I thought it would be a 90% at least.

[Red_Star]

Yeah, must depend on the study to how many with sjogrens had a positive ANA.