Autoimmune Disease Blood Test
A private autoimmune screening blood test measuring six antibodies the immune system produces when it turns on the body's own tissues: antinuclear antibodies for lupus and connective tissue disease, thyroid peroxidase for Hashimoto's and Graves', gastric parietal cell for pernicious anaemia, and three liver antibodies for autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis. £379 at a Goodbody clinic or £399 with a nurse. Results emailed in 7 to 10 working days.... Read more
A private autoimmune screening blood test measuring six antibodies the immune system produces when it turns on the body's own tissues: antinuclear antibodies for lupus and connective tissue disease, thyroid peroxidase for Hashimoto's and Graves', gastric parietal cell for pernicious anaemia, and three liver antibodies for autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis. £379 at a Goodbody clinic or £399 with a nurse. Results emailed in 7 to 10 working days.
Key facts
- Price: £379 at a Goodbody clinic; £399 with a nurse home visit
- Measures: antinuclear antibodies (ANA), thyroid peroxidase antibodies, gastric parietal cell antibodies, anti-mitochondrial antibodies, anti-smooth muscle antibodies and anti-liver-kidney microsomal (LKM) antibodies
- Screens for: lupus and other connective tissue diseases, autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's, Graves'), pernicious anaemia, autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis
- Does not include: rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP (rheumatoid arthritis) or tissue transglutaminase (coeliac disease); see our Coeliac Screen for the latter
- Sample: venous blood draw; not available as a finger-prick kit; no fasting
- Results: emailed within 7 to 10 working days with a GP report
Your questions answered
How do you test for autoimmune disease?
With antibody blood tests. Autoimmune diseases each leave a signature: the immune system makes antibodies against a particular tissue, and those autoantibodies can be measured in blood, often before the disease is fully established. A screening panel like this one tests for the antibodies behind the most common autoimmune conditions in one sample. A positive result points to a condition and the specialist who should confirm it; a negative panel makes those conditions much less likely and moves the search elsewhere. No single test diagnoses an autoimmune disease on its own; the antibodies, the symptoms and often further specific tests together do.
What does this autoimmune blood test check for?
Six autoantibodies, chosen to cover the organs most often affected:
| Antibody | What a positive result points to |
|---|---|
| Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) | Lupus (SLE), Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma and other connective tissue diseases; also raised in autoimmune hepatitis |
| Thyroid peroxidase antibodies | Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, the autoimmune causes of under- and over-active thyroid |
| Gastric parietal cell antibodies | Pernicious anaemia, the autoimmune cause of vitamin B12 deficiency |
| Anti-mitochondrial antibodies | Primary biliary cholangitis, an autoimmune disease of the bile ducts |
| Anti-smooth muscle antibodies | Autoimmune hepatitis |
| Anti-LKM antibodies | Autoimmune hepatitis (type 2) |
Is there a blood test for lupus?
Yes: antinuclear antibodies (ANA) is the standard first test, and it is included here. Almost everyone with lupus has a positive ANA, so a negative result makes lupus very unlikely. A positive ANA does not confirm lupus, because around 5 to 15 percent of healthy people, more with age, have a low-level positive ANA, and other connective tissue diseases raise it too. If your ANA is positive, the GP report will recommend the confirmatory tests your GP or a rheumatologist would order next, anti-dsDNA and ENA antibodies, complement levels and a urine check.
Does this test check for rheumatoid arthritis or coeliac disease?
No, and it is important to be clear about that. Rheumatoid arthritis is tested with rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies, which are not in this panel; if joint pain and swelling are your main symptoms, ask your GP for those. Coeliac disease is tested with tissue transglutaminase antibodies, which our Coeliac Screen Blood Test measures for £179. This panel covers lupus and connective tissue disease, autoimmune thyroid disease, pernicious anaemia and autoimmune liver disease.
What is an ANA blood test?
Antinuclear antibodies are antibodies against components of the cell nucleus, and their presence is the hallmark of systemic autoimmune disease. The laboratory reports whether they are present and, if so, at what level (titre) and in what pattern, which hints at the likely condition: a homogeneous pattern is typical of lupus, speckled of Sjogren's or mixed connective tissue disease, nucleolar of scleroderma. A high titre in someone with symptoms such as joint pain, rashes, mouth ulcers, dry eyes or unexplained fatigue is a strong reason for rheumatology referral. A low titre with no symptoms is usually monitored, not treated.
What are the common symptoms of autoimmune disease?
Fatigue that does not improve with rest, joint pain or swelling that moves between joints, muscle aches, low-grade fevers, rashes especially after sun exposure, dry eyes and mouth, hair loss, mouth ulcers, numbness or tingling, digestive problems, and swollen glands. Individually each is common and non-specific; it is the combination, and their persistence, that raises suspicion. Autoimmune conditions are three times more common in women, cluster in families, and often start between 20 and 50.
Can a blood test detect autoimmune disease before symptoms?
Sometimes. Autoantibodies often appear years before a condition is diagnosed: thyroid antibodies before hypothyroidism, ANA before lupus, parietal cell antibodies before B12 deficiency develops. A positive result in someone without symptoms is not a diagnosis, but it identifies who should be monitored, which is why people with a strong family history of autoimmune disease choose to be screened. A negative result is reassuring but does not rule out developing a condition later.
What is the NHS blood test for autoimmune disease?
There is no single NHS autoimmune test. A GP investigating symptoms will order tests one at a time as the picture suggests: ANA for possible lupus, rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP for joints, thyroid antibodies for thyroid symptoms, tissue transglutaminase for gut symptoms. That approach is right when the symptoms point clearly to one organ. When they are vague, widespread or have been going on for months without an answer, a private screen across six antibodies in one sample can shortcut the process, and a positive result gives your GP a specific reason to refer.
What happens if my autoimmune test is positive?
The Goodbody GP report explains which antibody is positive, at what level, and which condition it points to, and recommends the next step. For a positive ANA that is usually confirmatory antibody tests and a rheumatology referral; for thyroid antibodies, a thyroid function test and annual monitoring; for parietal cell antibodies, a vitamin B12 level; for liver antibodies, liver function tests and a hepatology referral. Take the report to your own NHS GP, who can make the referral. A positive antibody is the start of an investigation, not a diagnosis.
Why does this test take longer than other blood tests?
Antibody tests are run in batches by a specialist immunology laboratory, and several of these six use a method in which a scientist reads the staining pattern under a microscope rather than an automated analyser. That is why results take 7 to 10 working days rather than the 3 to 5 of a standard blood test.
Do I need to fast or prepare?
No. Eat and drink normally and take your usual medication. Steroids and immunosuppressant drugs can lower antibody levels, which is worth bearing in mind when reading a negative result. The test needs a venous blood sample, so it is not available as a finger-prick kit; book at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics or a nurse home visit.
How much does a private autoimmune blood test cost?
£379 at a Goodbody clinic or £399 with a nurse home visit, including the blood draw, specialist laboratory analysis of six autoantibodies and a GP report. Private autoimmune screens in the UK typically cost £250 to £450 depending on how many antibodies are included; the NHS tests are free but ordered one at a time when a GP judges them necessary.
What happens next
Your results and GP report are emailed within 7 to 10 working days of your sample reaching the laboratory. The report explains each antibody in plain language, says which condition a positive result points to and how strongly, and sets out the next step, including the confirmatory tests and the referral to ask your GP for. All samples are analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.
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Available testing locations for Autoimmune Disease Blood Test
Aberdeen Clinic GCI Advanced Aesthetics
Abergavenny Clinic Amatsu Centre
Airdrie Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Aldershot Clinic Wellington Pharmacy
Alton Clinic Four Marks Pharmacy
Andover Clinic Dr Malaika Clinics
Anniesland Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Arlesey Clinic Waterloo Farm Wellness
Armadale Clinic Dears Pharmacy
Ascot Clinic Ascot Pharmacy
AshbyDeLaZouch Clinic Aeternum Aesthetics
Ashford Clinic Breakspear Pharmacy
Aveley Clinic Doctor B Aesthetics
Aylesbury Clinic Aura Body Clinic
Aylesbury Clinic Pearlfect Care Pharmacy
Aylsham Clinic North Norfolk Ear & Skin Care
Ballingry Clinic
Barnet Clinic Co Wellbeing
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How our blood tests work
Have your blood taken in-clinic by one of our skilled phlebotomists and check multiple biomarkers in one go. Many of our tests can also be done in the comfort of your own home with one of our easy-to-use test kits.
Testing
Take a test, either in the comfort of your own home, with a nurse visit, or at one of our clinics nationwide.
Analysis
Your sample is analysed in the clinic, laboratory or using your home test equipment.
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Meet our Goodbody Experts
Our team of professionals has decades of experience so you can be sure you’re getting the best tests and support to understand and improve your health.
Get in touch with Our Team
Dr Lebeth Jacob
BSc (Hons) MBChB
Registered GP & Lead Medical Advisor
Dr Alexandre Akoulitchev
MA, PhD, FRSM
Clinical Support Advisor
Dr Cheng Boon
MBCHB, MRCP, FRCR
Consultant Oncologist
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