Autoimmune Conditions and ANA Testing in Dubai
Autoimmune conditions happen when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues — the joints, skin, thyroid, gut or kidneys. The symptoms are often vague and come and go: tiredness, joint pain and stiffness, rashes, mouth ulcers, dry eyes, hair loss, Raynaud's. Blood tests such as the ANA are where the investigation starts, and an internal medicine specialist in Deira reads them alongside your symptoms rather than as a single number.
For: a positive ANA, joint pain, rashes, unexplained fatigue or inflammation
Tests: ANA AED 150, with follow-up tests as needed
Price: consultation AED 125
Book the internal medicine specialistor call +971 (0) 4379 3562
What it is
An ANA test looks for antinuclear antibodies — antibodies against the contents of your own cells. It is the first screening test for systemic autoimmune conditions such as lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease.
A positive ANA is not a diagnosis. A low-level positive result is common in healthy people, particularly women and older adults, and can follow infections or some medicines. What matters is the result together with your symptoms and examination — which is why the test should be ordered and read by a doctor, and why a positive result is followed by more specific tests rather than treated on its own.
The tests, and what each one adds
ANA (AED 150) — the screening test. Anti-dsDNA (AED 150) — specific for lupus. ENA antibodies (AED 950) — identifies which condition a positive ANA points to, such as Sjögren's or scleroderma. Rheumatoid factor (AED 60) and anti-CCP (AED 150) — for rheumatoid arthritis, where anti-CCP is the more specific. ESR and CRP (AED 50 each) — general markers of inflammation. Complement C3 and C4 (AED 150 each) — often low when lupus is active. Thyroid antibodies (anti-TPO, AED 120) — the commonest autoimmune condition of all is autoimmune thyroid disease.
Symptoms worth investigating
Joint pain and morning stiffness lasting more than half an hour, swollen joints, a facial or sun-sensitive rash, mouth ulcers, dry eyes and dry mouth, fingers that turn white or blue in the cold, unexplained fevers, hair loss, and tiredness out of proportion to what you are doing. Several of these together, or a family history of autoimmune disease, is a reason to test.
What the specialist does
Takes the history, examines you, and chooses the tests — rather than running every antibody at once, which produces false alarms. The results are read together. Where a condition is confirmed or strongly suspected, the specialist starts the work-up and treatment where appropriate, and refers to rheumatology or another specialist when that is the right next step.
Immunity and recurrent infections
Frequent or unusually severe infections can point to a problem with the immune system's defences rather than an overactive one. The first tests are a full blood count and immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), with vitamin D and other deficiencies checked alongside — all available at our laboratory.
The consultation, and what follows from it
Internal medicine consultation
Assessment, examination and a plan with every cost stated before anything further is done.
AED 125 was AED 200
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Questions patients ask
That antinuclear antibodies were found. It can point to an autoimmune condition such as lupus, but a low-level positive result is also common in healthy people. It is interpreted with your symptoms and followed by more specific tests where needed — it is not a diagnosis on its own.
At Smart Care Polyclinic in Deira, the ANA test is AED 150. Follow-up tests include anti-dsDNA AED 150, ENA antibodies AED 950, rheumatoid factor AED 60 and anti-CCP AED 150. A specialist consultation is AED 125.
For lupus: ANA, then anti-dsDNA, ENA antibodies and complement C3 and C4. For rheumatoid arthritis: rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP, with ESR and CRP for inflammation. The specialist chooses which are needed for your symptoms.
No. You can book directly with our internal medicine specialist in Deira, with blood tests taken on site the same day.
This guide is general information, not advice about you. Long-term conditions are managed on your own results and history, which is what the specialist consultation is for.