Declan/Julian
Thanks for the replies - DNUK suggested an A2 antibody, which has a high
positive predictive value for PBC.
Didn't refer at the moment, as she had normal LFT [and came back to see a
partner later, who she trusted more than me!]
Similar to Huntingdons - if you were positive, would you want to know? Or is
ignorance bliss?
Not easy, despite all those ethics lectures!
James
I wrote this.
Be excellent to each other.
----Original Message Follows----
From: Julian Bradley <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: GP-UK <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Why do tests - was Microscopic haematuria
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:13:33 +0100
At 22:59 27/08/2007, you wrote:
>Sometimes medicine does throw you a real curveball - I did an autoimmune
>screen as part of workup for a possible inflammatory arthritis, and got
>antimitochondrial antibody levels of 1:320. LFT normal, and abdo exam
>normal.
>
>Asked on dnuk, but not very useful replies - if she now applies for
>insurance her possible future primary biliary cirrhosis will be stacked
>against her, but can't say for sure if will happen.
>
>Tried to explain to her - real nightmare consult from hell. Neither of us
>clearer at the end.
>
>James
James,
I presume that the test has been repeated to ensure not lab error?
Endomysial Antibodies could be done, and conversations with you local
gastroenterologist / hepatologist and rheumatologist would probably be
appropriate too.
Just Googling on this it's hard to find any info on the prevalence of these
antibodies in the general population. This may be an absence of info, but
I've never seen them come back positive in the absence of disease, so it may
also mean that they are a significant marker of pathology.
There does seem to be an association with other autoimmune conditions.
Did DNUK suggest anything (else) specific?
Julian
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