OG bands show up in Ankylosing Spondylitis or SLE?

[yorkieville]

Does anyone know, if ogliconal bands show up when you have Ankylosing Spondylitis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?

I am HLAB-27 positive, and my ANA has been elevated in the past (1:160) with a homogeneous pattern, suggestive of active Lupus.

My D.O. failed to do the recommended follow-up testing: ANTI-ENA and ANTI-DNA. It was supposed to be done within 2 weeks, of the ANA.

I am digging through all my test results, because I am simply getting worse, and don't think I can put this off until our house sells.

Still stuck at 72#s, even though my appetite has improved the past few weeks.

I am thinking of having him run the ANA Titer again, at my 10/15 appt. and if it is elevated, take it to a Rheumatologist.

Any thoughts?

Sheila

[yorkieville]

Hi, Deb.

Thank you so much for such a thorough explanation. You have helped me out quite a lot.

Thank you for the link to the site.

I don't get the rash, but I have a friend with Discoid Lupus that only gets the rash, and none of the other symptoms of SLE.

I tend to stay out of the sun, because it seems to cause me immense fatigue. We've gone to the beach a few times this summer, when we have been camping, and I can only manage an hour or tow, even in the shade, and then I want to sleep all evening.

This is totally opposite of what I used to be like. When my son was growing up, we had a pool, and I was out there, lifeguarding from morning 'until night.

Again, thank you so much.

Sheila

[Deb61]

I found an excellent site that will answer your question.  Yes, O-bands are sometimes found in the CSF in the LP.  However, the same number of bands are found in the blood as the CSF.   In MS, the O-bands are either absent in the blood or there's two or more O-bands in the CSF.  As far as I know, O-bands are not found in AS because it typically doesn't effect the CNS.  

Anyway, check this site out:

http://www.clinlabnavigator.com/Tests/OligoclonalBandsinCSF.html

It's a good idea to run the ANA again, because as you probably are aware, titers fluctuate with disease activity.  As long as you're getting the blood work, you may as well ask for the lupus panel or at least CRP and sed. rate to go along with it.  A high positive ANA with an elevated sed rate and CRP goes a long ways to help with the diagnosis of lupus.  An Anti-DNA test will also help.  Do you have the characteristic rashes when exposed to sunlight?  Even if you don't it doesn't mean that you don't have it, so stay out of the sunlight until you know more about what causing you to be so sick.

I hope you're feeling better, soon.  

Deb