ANTI-NUCLEAR ANTIBODY (ANA) PATTERNS IN EGYPTIAN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

In fact autoantibodies are immunoglobulins against self-antigens that are known as endogen antigens. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an occasion that the body begins a fight against its own cells and organs. There are different types of autoantibodies that have been identified in recent years. The most familiar is anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA). They are created against cell nuclei, and one of the methods used for its detection and its pattern determination is indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF). IIF was used for that purpose in our study, and concluded that ANA positivity rate was higher in female patients than the male ones, where ANA was positive in 36.1% of the male patients and 48.2% of female patients. Also, the most frequent ANA patterns in SLE patients were speckled pattern, where 21.6% & 41.3% of maleand female patients, respectively, have speckled pattern of ANA.