In simple words: This test looks for specific proteins in your blood called antibodies that are associated with autoimmune diseases, which are conditions where your body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. These specific proteins can help doctors determine what type of autoimmune disease you might have, such as lupus or scleroderma.

This code represents a qualitative or semiquantitative immunoassay for antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs). The assay is performed on patient serum to detect the presence or absence of specific ENA antibodies. Each antibody tested is reported separately. Examples of ENAs include anti-ribonucleoprotein (RNP or nRNP), anti-Smith (Sm), anti-Sjogren's Syndrome A and B (SS-A and SS-B), anti-scleroderma (Scl-70), and anti-Jo-1.

Example 1: A patient presents with joint pain, swelling, and fatigue. The physician orders an ENA panel (including 86235) to evaluate for autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis., A patient with a previously diagnosed autoimmune disease experiences a flare-up of symptoms. The physician orders specific ENA antibody tests (using 86235 for each antibody) to monitor disease activity., A patient has a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. The physician orders an ENA panel (which includes tests billed using 86235) to help determine the specific autoimmune disease.

Documentation should include the patient's medical history, the reason for the test, the specific ENA antibodies tested, and the test results. The interpretation of the results in the context of the patient's clinical presentation should also be documented.