Emerging autoantibody lab tests
Explanation
The table below lists the auto-antibody tests along with the conditions that they are associated with. If you have the symptoms of a particular syndrome or condition (e.g. SFN), then a positive auto-antibody test suggests that you have the syndrome/condition and that auto-immunity may be the cause. These tests may be useful because they can provide evidence that you have an autoimmune condition that may respond to existing treatments (and experimental treatments) for autoimmunity.
Not all patients with a particular syndrome will have (measurable) autoantibodies associated with that syndrome.
The columns on the right show which labs offer which tests.
German Labs
For all of the labs below, the blood must be drawn and centrifuged. Then it should be cold packaged and couriered to the lab (in Germany) within a certain timeframe. Patients generally must make these arrangements themselves.
Patients can hire a phlebotomist or other medical professional to draw their blood.
Patient support groups may be able to help you through this process.
CellTrend
https://www.celltrend.de/en/pots-cfs-me-sfn/important-publications/
This German lab offers tests for auto-antibodies associated with POTS, long COVID, CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), and SFN (small fiber neuropathy).
Cost: Roughly €915 for all tests. Cost is lower if fewer tests are purchased.
Erde
https://www.aak-diagnostik.de/index_e.html
Cost: Around €240.
Berlin Cures
Information on their auto-antibody testing can be found here: https://berlincures.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Berlin-Cures-Consent-Form-LongCovid-EN-20211118.pdf
Cost: Around €283.50 including VAT (19%)
American Labs
WUSTL - Washington University in St. Louis
https://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/over/labdis.html
WUSTL offers a wide range of autoantibody and biopsy tests. The requisition form (https://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/lab/reqs/SerumRequisition.pdf) lists autoantibody test panels for the following syndromes:
- Motor neuropathy
- Sensory (±motor) neuropathy
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Sensory neuropathy/neuronopathy
- Demyelinating neuropathy
- Acute neuropathy
- Myopathy (2 different panels)
- Paraneoplastic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic laboratories offers testing for:
- Autoimmune movement disorders: https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Overview/92121
- Autoimmune dysautonomia (POTS is a form of dysautonomia): https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Overview/606192