2 - 3 days
Turnaround time is defined as the usual number of days from the date of pickup of a specimen for testing to when the result is released to the ordering provider. In some cases, additional time should be allowed for additional confirmatory or additional reflex tests. Testing schedules may vary.
Serum
1 mL
0.3 mL
Red-top tube or gel-barrier tube
Room temperature
Temperature
Period
14 days
Refrigerated
Frozen
Freeze/thaw cycles
Stable x3
Hemolysis; lipemia; gross bacterial contamination; heat-treated specimen; specimen with preservative added
Detection of antibodies aids in the diagnosis of autoimmune liver diseases such as autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)
Antiactin antibodies have been reported at low levels in 3% to 18% of sera from the general healthy population. The presence of immune complexes in the patient's sample may produce false positives in this assay. Not all smooth muscle positive samples will have actin antibodies.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• Negative: 0-19
• Weak positive: 20-30
• Moderate to strong positive: >30
Actin antibodies are found in 52% to 85% of patients with autoimmune hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis and in 22% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
