Question
MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SEEN FOR REOCCURING JOINT PAIN AND LOW GRADE FEVER. SHE HAD A +ANA (TITER 160) AND A CENTROMERE PATTERN. I WAS TOLD THAT HEALTHY PEOPLE CAN HAVE A + ANA, BUT SHE IS BEING SENT TO A SPECIALIST TO RULE OUT JRA OR LUPUS. THE ONLY RESEARCH I COULD FIND ABOUT A CENTROMERE PATTERN SAYS IT IS ONLY SEEN IN CREST SYNDROME. IS THAT TRUE?? DO HEALTHY PEOPLE WITH ANA+ TEST HAVE A CERTAIN PATTERN TYPE? THE SPECIALIST CANT SEE HER FOR 3 MONTHS, SO WE ARE PLAYING THE WAITING GAME. I REALIZE THAT LAB TESTS ALONE DONT MAKE A DIAGNOSIS BUT IT SEEMS LIKE CREST SYNDROME IS ONE OF THOSE FEW THAT IS CONSISTANT WITH ANA CENTROMERE PATTERN. SHE DOES SEEM TO HAVE ANY SKIN SYMPTOMS AT ALL. ANY INFO WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Answer
t is true that a centromere ANA pattern is associated with CREST. ANA patterns are frequently interpreted incorrectly and thus I would question the result. Homogenous pattern ANA are the most non-specific pattern.
