| Download the amazing global Makindo app: ✅ Means NICE/National Guidelines 2026 compliant Android | Apple | |
|---|---|
| MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational use only. Not for diagnosis or management. See below for full disclaimer. |
🛡️ Autoimmunity, autoantibodies and complement - page 5 of the Clinical Immunology chapter. Autoimmune diseases affect about 1 in 10 people in the UK, mostly women. Autoantibody tests are ordered every day - but many are positive in healthy people, and a test sent without a clear question often causes more confusion than help. This page is a practical guide to which antibody to request, what a result means, and the complement and immune complex diseases that cross every specialty. Detailed disease management is in the Rheumatology, Renal, Neurology and other chapters.
Your four questions for every autoantibody result: What clinical question was it sent to answer? How specific is this antibody, and at what titre? Does it fit the clinical picture? Will the result change management - or should it be repeated, confirmed or ignored?
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Organ-specific | Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, type 1 diabetes, Addison's disease, pernicious anaemia, coeliac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, vitiligo, pemphigus, membranous nephropathy |
| Systemic | SLE, Sjögren's disease, systemic sclerosis, myositis, rheumatoid arthritis, ANCA vasculitis, antiphospholipid syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease |
| Cytopenias | Immune thrombocytopenia, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, Evans syndrome, autoimmune neutropenia, acquired haemophilia (factor VIII inhibitor), pure red cell aplasia |
| Autoinflammatory (innate, no autoantibodies) | Periodic fever syndromes, adult-onset Still's disease, gout, Behçet's (overlap), VEXAS |
| Antibody | Association |
|---|---|
| Anti-Ro (SSA) | Sjögren's disease, SLE (photosensitive subacute cutaneous lupus); in pregnancy - neonatal lupus and congenital heart block (fetal heart monitoring; hydroxychloroquine reduces risk) |
| Anti-La (SSB) | Sjögren's disease, SLE, neonatal lupus |
| Anti-Sm | Highly specific for SLE (low sensitivity) |
| Anti-U1 RNP | Mixed connective tissue disease (high titre), SLE |
| Anti-Scl-70 (topoisomerase I) | Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis - interstitial lung disease |
| Anti-centromere | Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (CREST) - pulmonary arterial hypertension |
| Anti-RNA polymerase III | Diffuse systemic sclerosis - scleroderma renal crisis, cancer association |
| Anti-Jo-1 (and other anti-synthetase) | Anti-synthetase syndrome - myositis, ILD, arthritis, mechanic's hands, Raynaud's |
| Anti-histone | Drug-induced lupus (also in SLE) |
| Anti-ribosomal P | SLE - neuropsychiatric lupus |
| ANCA | Associations |
|---|---|
| PR3-ANCA (c-ANCA) | Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) - sinusitis, nasal crusting, saddle nose, lung nodules and cavities, glomerulonephritis |
| MPO-ANCA (p-ANCA) | Microscopic polyangiitis (kidneys and lungs - alveolar haemorrhage), EGPA (asthma, eosinophilia - ANCA positive in under half), renal-limited vasculitis; drug-induced (propylthiouracil, hydralazine, cocaine/levamisole) |
| Atypical p-ANCA (not MPO) | Ulcerative colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis - no vasculitis |
⚠️ Safety Pearl: Haemoptysis with AKI, or a rising creatinine with blood and protein on the dipstick, is a renal emergency. Send ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies urgently, phone the lab and nephrology the same day - waiting days for a routine result can cost the kidneys.
| Antibody | Association |
|---|---|
| Jo-1, PL-7, PL-12 | Anti-synthetase syndrome - ILD, myositis, arthritis, mechanic's hands, fever |
| Mi-2 | Classic dermatomyositis - good prognosis |
| TIF1-γ | Dermatomyositis with cancer in adults - screen for malignancy |
| NXP2 | Dermatomyositis - calcinosis; cancer in adults |
| MDA5 | Amyopathic dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive ILD, skin ulcers |
| SRP and HMGCR | Immune-mediated necrotising myopathy - very high CK; anti-HMGCR after statins |
| Antibody | Condition and clues |
|---|---|
| Acetylcholine receptor | Myasthenia gravis (about 85% of generalised); thymoma - CT chest |
| MuSK | Seronegative myasthenia - bulbar and neck weakness, poorer response to pyridostigmine; rituximab works well |
| Voltage-gated calcium channel (P/Q) | Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome - proximal weakness improving with exercise, autonomic symptoms, absent reflexes; small cell lung cancer in about half |
| Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) | Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder - severe optic neuritis, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, area postrema syndrome (intractable hiccups and vomiting) |
| MOG | MOG antibody-associated disease - optic neuritis, ADEM (children), myelitis |
| NMDA receptor | Autoimmune encephalitis - young women, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, dyskinesias, autonomic instability, reduced consciousness; ovarian teratoma |
| LGI1 (VGKC complex) | Limbic encephalitis in older men - memory loss, faciobrachial dystonic seizures, hyponatraemia |
| CASPR2 | Neuromyotonia, Morvan syndrome, limbic encephalitis |
| GAD (high titre) | Stiff person syndrome, cerebellar ataxia, epilepsy |
| Anti-Hu (ANNA-1) | Paraneoplastic sensory neuronopathy, encephalomyelitis - small cell lung cancer |
| Anti-Yo (PCA-1) | Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration - ovarian and breast cancer |
| Anti-Ri (ANNA-2) | Opsoclonus–myoclonus - breast and lung cancer |
| Anti-Ma2 | Limbic and brainstem encephalitis - testicular germ cell tumour |
| Anti-ganglioside (GQ1b, GM1) | Miller Fisher syndrome (GQ1b - ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, areflexia); multifocal motor neuropathy (GM1); axonal GBS |
| Anti-MAG | Demyelinating neuropathy with IgM paraprotein |
| Antibody | Disease |
|---|---|
| ANA | Screen for SLE (95%) and CTDs - non-specific |
| dsDNA, Sm | SLE (dsDNA - nephritis and activity) |
| Ro, La | Sjögren's, SLE, neonatal lupus, congenital heart block |
| U1 RNP | Mixed connective tissue disease |
| Histone | Drug-induced lupus |
| Centromere / Scl-70 / RNA pol III | Limited SSc (PAH) / diffuse SSc (ILD) / renal crisis |
| Jo-1 | Anti-synthetase syndrome |
| HMGCR | Statin-associated necrotising myopathy |
| Anti-CCP / RF | Rheumatoid arthritis (CCP specific) |
| PR3 / MPO ANCA | GPA / MPA and EGPA |
| Anti-GBM | Goodpasture's disease |
| Lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin, beta-2 GP1 | Antiphospholipid syndrome |
| tTG, EMA | Coeliac disease (check total IgA) |
| Intrinsic factor | Pernicious anaemia |
| Smooth muscle / LKM-1 | Autoimmune hepatitis type 1 / type 2 |
| AMA M2 | Primary biliary cholangitis |
| TPO / TRAb | Hashimoto's / Graves' |
| GAD, IA-2, ZnT8 | Type 1 diabetes, LADA |
| 21-hydroxylase | Addison's disease |
| AChR / MuSK / VGCC | Myasthenia gravis / MuSK myasthenia / Lambert–Eaton |
| AQP4 / MOG | NMOSD / MOGAD |
| NMDAR / LGI1 | Autoimmune encephalitis (teratoma) / limbic encephalitis with hyponatraemia |
| Hu / Yo / Ma2 | Paraneoplastic - SCLC / ovary and breast / testis |
| GQ1b | Miller Fisher syndrome |
| PLA2R | Membranous nephropathy |
| Desmoglein / BP180 | Pemphigus / bullous pemphigoid |
| ADAMTS13 antibody | Acquired TTP |
| Clue | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| Positive ANA 1:80 in a well woman with fatigue and no other features | Likely incidental - don't chase |
| Arthralgia and pleurisy on hydralazine; anti-histone positive | Drug-induced lupus |
| Baby with complete heart block; mother has dry eyes and mouth | Neonatal lupus - maternal anti-Ro |
| Rising dsDNA and falling C3 and C4 with proteinuria | Lupus nephritis flare |
| Three early miscarriages and a lupus anticoagulant on two tests 12 weeks apart | Obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome |
| Young stroke, livedo reticularis and triple-positive aPL | Antiphospholipid syndrome - warfarin (not DOAC) |
| Haemoptysis, AKI and PR3-ANCA with nasal crusting | Granulomatosis with polyangiitis |
| Pulmonary haemorrhage and RPGN in a smoker; linear IgG on biopsy | Anti-GBM disease |
| MPO-ANCA vasculitis in a woman on propylthiouracil | Drug-induced ANCA vasculitis |
| ILD, myositis and cracked fingertips | Anti-synthetase syndrome (Jo-1) |
| Proximal weakness and CK 9,000 on atorvastatin that persists after stopping | Anti-HMGCR necrotising myopathy |
| Heliotrope rash, Gottron's papules and TIF1-γ antibodies in a 60-year-old | Dermatomyositis - screen for cancer |
| Negative tTG-IgA with low total IgA in suspected coeliac disease | Use IgG-based coeliac tests |
| Itch, raised ALP and IgM, AMA positive | Primary biliary cholangitis |
| Ptosis worse in the evening; anterior mediastinal mass | Myasthenia gravis with thymoma |
| Proximal weakness improving after exercise, dry mouth, heavy smoker | Lambert–Eaton syndrome - SCLC |
| Intractable hiccups, then longitudinal transverse myelitis | NMOSD (AQP4) |
| Young woman with psychosis, seizures and orofacial dyskinesias | Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis - look for ovarian teratoma |
| Faciobrachial dystonic seizures and sodium 126 in a 65-year-old | LGI1 limbic encephalitis |
| Subacute cerebellar ataxia in a woman; anti-Yo positive | Paraneoplastic - ovarian or breast cancer |
| Tense blisters on itchy plaques in an 85-year-old on sitagliptin | Bullous pemphigoid |
| Oral erosions and flaccid blisters; Nikolsky positive | Pemphigus vulgaris |
| Purpura, arthralgia, neuropathy, very low C4 and hepatitis C | Mixed cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis |
| Dark morning urine, raised LDH and hepatic vein thrombosis | Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria |
| MAHA, low platelets and AKI with normal ADAMTS13 and no diarrhoea | Atypical HUS - eculizumab |
| Painless jaundice, sausage-shaped pancreas and raised IgG4 | Autoimmune pancreatitis (IgG4-related disease) |
1. A 28-year-old woman has a malar rash, painful joints and ankle swelling. Urine: blood 2+, protein 3+. ANA 1:640, dsDNA strongly positive, C3 and C4 low.
Answer: SLE with probable lupus nephritis.
2. A 65-year-old man has haemoptysis, fatigue and a creatinine of 380 µmol/L (normal 3 months ago). Urine dipstick: blood 3+, protein 2+.
Answer: Pulmonary–renal syndrome - ANCA vasculitis or anti-GBM disease.
3. A 32-year-old woman has had a DVT and two miscarriages at 9 and 11 weeks. Lupus anticoagulant and anti-beta-2 GP1 are positive and still positive at 14 weeks.
Answer: Antiphospholipid syndrome (thrombotic and obstetric).
4. A 24-year-old woman develops anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia over 2 weeks, then seizures, abnormal mouth movements and fluctuating BP. MRI is normal; CSF shows lymphocytes.
Answer: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
5. A 55-year-old man with hepatitis C has palpable purpura on his legs, joint pains, numb feet and proteinuria. C4 is very low; rheumatoid factor positive.
Answer: Mixed cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis.