Test Overview
Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA), Mouse stomach kidney substrate.
Useful in the diagnosis of pernicious anemia in which approximately 80% of patients demonstrate antibodies. A positive test in the presence of a megaloblastic anemia makes pernicious anemia a probable diagnosis. A negative test will help differentiate pernicious anemia from other anemias and Whipple's disease. Rarely, antiparietal cell antibodies are found in patients with gastric ulcer, atrophic gastritis, chronic thyroiditis, iron deficiency anemia, juvenile diabetes mellitus, idiopathic Addison's disease, gastric carcinoma, and in the normal population.
Negative
* Reference ranges may change over time. Please refer to the original patient report when evaluating results.
The increasing incidence of the antibody with increasing patient age may reflect the increasing incidence of atrophic gastritis in the elderly. The antibody is found with increased frequency in relatives of patients with pernicious anemia.
Test Details
8 hours
- Anti-parietal Cell Antibody
- PAC
- PARIETAL CELL ANTIBODY
Specimen Requirements
Collect specimen in SST tube. Centrifuge, aliquot serum into a plastic vial and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Specimen should be frozen if it's not going to be received in Immunology within 3 days of collection.
Additional Information
Parietal cell antibodies associated with intrinsic factor antibodies are suggestive of pernicious anemia. If another auto-antibody including Smooth Muscle Antibody, Mitochondrial Antibody, or Liver Kidney Microsomal Antibody is noted to be present during the performance of this test, the client will be notified via a footnote in the report. Please contact the MLabs Client Services Center to request the additional auto-antibody; there will be a separate charge for each auto-antibody test ordered.