ANCA in the diagnosis of neutrophil-mediated inflammation.

Inconsistencies in ANCA (anti-neutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies) and other NSA (neutrophil-specific autoantibodies) terminology frequently cause incorrect indications, choices, applications and interpretations of ANCA diagnostics in routine practice, except for ANCA-associated vasculitis. A review of the current knowledge and the authors' personal experiences based on routine assessments of ANCA and other NSA are documented and presented. A better understanding of the principles and mechanisms of ANCA and other NSA responses and determination, as well as unification of their terminology could result in improvements in indications, applications and the interpretation of ANCA diagnostics in diseases other than vasculitis, especially in IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases), AILD (autoimmune liver diseases), CTD (connective tissue diseases) and other chronic neutrophil-mediated inflammatory diseases.