Diagnostic methods of ANCA

Autoimmune diseases occur when physiological tolerance to self-antigens is lost and thereafter, human body can not discriminate between self and non-self tissue. In autoimmunity, production of different auto-antibodies result in variety of pathologic manifestations. Auto-antibodies are hallmark of both systematic and organ specific autoimmune diseases. Among various autoantibodies, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) is a useful diagnostic tool for auto-immune glomerulonephritis. There are many techniques used for the detection of ANCA level. Here, we want to introduce some common techniques i.e. ELISA, IFT, cytogram and flow cytometer. Objectives: Current study was designed to determine sensitivity & specificity ANCA (p-ANCA and c-ANCA) of ELISA method. Results: ELISA is most sensitive method for c-ANCA and most specific method for p-ANCA. Diagnostic value of ELISA for both parameters c-ANCA & p-ANCA is same 95.31%. Conclusion: ELISA is sensitive as well as specific method for the detection of ANCA. Besides that indirect immunoflorecent technique (IIF) remains the gold standard method for the detection of ANCA (c-ANCA & p-ANCA).