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adrenal antibody in serum
Indications:
- autoimmune adrenalitis
- idiopathic Addison's disease
Clinical significance:
- in autoimmune adrenalitis, anti-adrenal antibodies are of the IgG class & are directed against adrenocortical microsomes
- the test is used as a marker for idiopathic Addison's disease
- 50% of patients will have positive titers.
- adrenal autoantibodies are not seen with adrenal tumors, Cushing's disease, virilizing adrenal hyperplasia, or tuberculosis of the adrenal gland
- patients with autoimmune adrenalitis have a higher incidence of other organ-specific autoimmune diseases including:
a) Grave's disease
b) Hashimoto's thyroiditis
c) insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
d) pernicious anemia
e) ovarian failure
Specimen: serum
Method:
- ELISA
- complement fixation
- indirect immunofluorescence Interference:
- mitochondrial or ribosomal antibodies may interfere with the indirect immunofluorescence assay
Related
adrenal (suprarenal) gland
anti-adrenal antibody
Specific
adrenal cortex Ab in serum
General
serology
References
Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, 3rd ed. Teitz ed.,
W.B. Saunders, 1995