[Antinuclear antibodies : Practical diagnostic recommendations for dermatologists].

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a common diagnostic finding in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. In patients with typical clinical symptoms, the determination of ANA is of both diagnostic and prognostic importance. However, if ANA were determined due to unspecific symptoms, the interpretation of ANA findings can be problematic. In these cases, misjudgements with severe consequences for the patients are possible. Many systemic autoimmune diseases have prominent early skin involvement and the dermatologist can be the first physician that such a patient sees. Therefore, knowledge of ANA diagnostics is important for dermatologists. Basic principles of autoantibody diagnostics, guidance for the interpretation of laboratory results and new developments are discussed in this overview.