Autoantibody tests are used to investigate chronic progressive arthritis type symptoms and/or unexplained fevers, fatigue, muscle weakness and rashes.
Auto-immune disorders are a group of conditions in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues as if they were a foreign substance.
The reaction is similar to those that occur in allergies except the hypersensitivity response is to the body rather than an `outside` substance.
Genetic factors may play a role and women are more frequently affected.
Auto-immune disorders can affect the adrenal glands (Addisons Disease), red blood cells (a type of haemolytic anaemia), pancreas (Diabetes Mellitus type 1), thyroid (Graves Disease), muscle receptors Myaesthenia Gravis), liver (Chronic Hepatitis), sperm and ovary (Auto-immune Infertility) and more.
A single autoantibody test is not diagnostic, but may give clues as to whether a particular disorder is likely or unlikely to be present. Each autoantibody result should be considered individually and as part of the group.
A specially labelled blood sample collection kit containing everything needed by a nurse or doctor to take the blood sample. The kit will be unique and coded specifically to you.
A Medical History & Lifestyle questionnaire is included with this test. It covers important areas such as illness, injuries, medical conditions, medication, family health history and much more.
The Medical History & Lifestyle questionnaire provides us with vital information which can affect how your results are interpreted and what advice you receive.
You will have secure online access to your medical reports and results held on our secure web servers. If required, we will also send you a hard copy by post.
Our web servers are secure and protected by the latest SSL certificate. The 128bit SSL encryption assures that information is kept private between our web servers and your web browser.
Phlebotomy