Autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus-there before you know it

Abstract

For the clinician evaluating a patient with features that suggest SLE, a positive test for antinuclear antibodies may support the diagnosis, especially if more specific autoantibodies are present, such as anti-double-stranded DNA or anti-Sm antibodies. Conversely, a negative result for antinuclear antibodies is a powerful argument against a diagnosis of SLE, given the high sensitivity of the test.