Introduction:

The present study evaluated the results of indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) method performed in the specimens sent to our laboratory to be diagnosed in terms of autoimmune diseases.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 10.659 serum specimens, which had been sent to our Microbiology Laboratory between 10.03.2014 and 21.07.2015, were retrospectively evaluated by IFA method. The serums were analyzed by IFA technique (Euroimmun AG, Lübeck, Germany) after diluting by 1/100 for Antinuclear antibody (ANA), Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) and Antismoothmuscle antibody (ASMA), by 1/10 for Anti Double Strain DNA (Anti-ds DNA), Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (p-ANCA), Cytoplasmic Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (c-ANCA), Anti Glomerular Basal Membrane Antibody (Anti GBM), antigliadin antibodies, and antiendomisium antibodies as instructed by the manufacturer.

Results:

The serums were positive by 20% (n=4363) for ANA, 1.3% (n=450) for AMA, 0.8% (n=368) for ASMA, 1.2% (n=1566) for anti-ds DNA, 2.5% (n=888) for p-ANCA, 1.1% (n=888) for c-ANCA, 4.3% (n=2739) for antiendomisium IgA, 2.9% (n=2739) for antigliadin IgA, 3.1% (n=2739) for antiendomisium IgG, and 5.8% (n=2739) for antigliadin IgG. No positivity was determined for anti GBM test (n=27). Nuclear granular (39.8%), nucleolar (20.9%), and homogenous (19.9%) patterns were the most common patterns observed in ANA (+) serums.

Conclusion:

It was determined that granular (39.8%), nucleolar (20.9%), and homogeneous (19.9%) patterns are the most prevalent and nuclear dot (1.3%) and nuclear membrane (0.8%) patterns were the least prevalent in the ANA IFA tests. Female cases accounted for the majority of the positive results in the tests. Highest ratio of positivity was determined to be 20% in ANA test, while the lowest positivity was determined in the ASMA test by 0.81%. Based on these results, a titration study is planned in ANA (+) cases in collaboration with other clinics.

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