Help us make sense of these symptoms!

[ny12345]

My otherwise healthy husband recently had a seizure. cat scan and initial blood and eeg appear normal. His brain MRI show some lesions suggestive of MS. THe only neurological symptoms he's had recently at all was a short bout of vertigo this past summer. we are starting to get the bloodwork back on him and everything is negative/normal except he has an elevated ANA (1:160). which I understand suggests lupus. His lupus anticoag. was negative, lyme negative, bloodcounts look normal . His white blood count is on the high end of normal, his platelets on the low end of normal. Lupus in a  49 year old man? I just want to keep the various doctors on their toes. .... is there anything else they should be looking at?

[karajo]

Hi and welcome to MedHelp.

You can have a positive ANA with other things beside lupus.  Actually 160 is a low titer.  MS can have low titers of ANA.  I sure pray that your husband is not dx w/ MS.  Have the drs. told y'all of anything else that can cause lesions ont he brain beside MS?

[ny12345]

they are doing the usual battery of tests to look for lyme etc. It would certainly be a weird presentation of MS since he has no neurological issues (other than a seizure of course!). so they really expect to find something else but so far this is it. His neuro is consulting with a rheum. this week and we continue to look. The only other test they might do is a spinal tap. So 160 is low for lupus, but still elevated? that's good info to have. thanks.

[karajo]

Actually they didn't consider my ANA significant 'till 640.  But I've heard that 320 and above is really significant.  That test should be redone.  I suggest that your husband spend some time in the sun prior to the next ANA done.  If he does have lupus, it will cause his ANA to be elevated.  

The way the numbers of the ANA break down is how many times the serum was washed and the antibody still be present.  So it starts with neg., then 1:40, then 1:80, then 1:160, then 1:360, etc.  So they washed his serum 4Xs. On the 4th washing, they no longer detected ANA antibody.  So you could see that 160 is nothing to sneeze at.  

Most people w/ lupus also have joint pain and a facial rash.  The thing about autoimmune diseases are the symptoms come and go.  

Cancer can also cause a low titer of ANA.  Not to scare you, but if there was a chance my husband had cancer I would want them to catch it early.  

Praying for God's wisdom for y'all.

[samwisegamgee20]

Hi there, i agree that it may be worms. In developed countries it is not common, but if your husband has another immune disorder it may weaken the cell walls, allowing worm eggs to travel to the brain area. we see it a lot in developing countries. it may be worth a try. Also, hypoglycemic episodes also can cause seizures. I hope that you will find peace of mind and G-d Bless,
Shalom.