Question?

[Dorothea]

Does anyone know what this means? Proteinase-3 Antibody. 176.5

[whatthewhat]

Hey Dorothea, I won't answer you directly because if I do I start using terms like PacMan because I have weird ways of keeping track of all this...I was a Lit Major, not a Science Major lol. I know someone else on the forum can explain it better than I. In the meantime, however, you can google tests to understand them better. In this instance, the test you refer to is also known as PR3. This is related to the ANCA #. Any test results, you also need to look at how your own lab is quantifying them. There can be huge differences in the way things are measured (although PR3 itself does not come to mind esp as being one.) Some docs do not track PR3, or do not track it regularly. I know I would be concerned if my daughter's PR3 got to 176...when it get big it was a very early sign of flare (for her.) Here is a link to a page explaining PR3http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/anca/tab/sample/. and here is another PR3 - Clinical: Proteinase 3 Antibodies, IgG, Serum (http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/82965) I hope this helps.

[Dorothea]

Thank you very much whatthewhat!😀

[CHINGALIS]

Proteinase-3 antibody is the major determining enzyme to diagnosing ANCA (ant-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies). Proteinase-3 stands for "serine protease enzyme." This enzyme pretty much provides the doctor's with the data indicating whether or not a patient shows positive to having antibodies present in your body. See the link: Proteinase-3 Antibody (http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/TestDetail.action?ntc=34151) Quest diagnostics. Also see the link: Neutrophil secondary necrosis is induced by LL-37 derived from cathelicidin (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2516901/) - introduction of the paper explains the neutrophil granulocyte is about and how neutrophil based antibodies are good and bad. For us with Wegners GPA, neutrophils are implicated as a mediator of tissue-destructive events in inflammatory diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to .... or as we are diagnosed with Wegeners GPA.
I hope this helps. Good luck and be well.

[MaxD]

Dorothea, you should ask what scale your PR3 is reported in and what the normal range is. When I was diagnosed, my PR3 was 150 (normal range was 0-20). With treatment, it is now in the normal range. Unfortunately the PR3 does not always reliably track the disease - in some cases it doesn't fall sufficiently low even in remission, for example.

[CHINGALIS]

I hope the information helped. Sorry if it is a bit technical. If you need more assistance or direction, please feel free to reply... be well - Athas:rolleyes1:

[Dorothea]

Thank you all! You have been very helpful!!! Also my PR3 was 176.5