• It is NOT recommended to order an ANA for patients without signs/symptoms/history suggestive of a specific rheumatic skin disease or if you do not have high suspicion for rheumatic skin disease.
  • ANA detection by IFA (indirect immunofluorescence assay) is the gold standard.
  • If ANA IFA positive in a patient with signs/symptoms of rheumatic disease, then order disease specific antibodies (ENA) testing.