Two commercially available lupus erythematosus (LE) latex tests were compared against positive antinuclear antibody (ANF) sera of known titers. The Lederle SLE Latex Test Kit was found to be more specific and relatively more sensitive, particulary with high ANF titers, than the Hyland LE Test Kit. The latex test is a rapid, simple method which, when positive, can be suggestive of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or other collagen disease. However, at present this test cannot replace the immunofluorescence method for detecting ANF. Where there is any clinical suggestion of SLE or a related condition, all negative results should be tested by immunofluorescence methods.
Antibodies, Antinuclear Deoxyribonucleoproteins