PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - P C Robinson AU - R H Steele TI - Appropriateness of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody testing in a tertiary hospital AID - 10.1136/jcp.2009.064485 DP - 2009 Aug 01 TA - Journal of Clinical Pathology PG - 743--745 VI - 62 IP - 8 4099 - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/62/8/743.short 4100 - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/62/8/743.full SO - J Clin Pathol2009 Aug 01; 62 AB - Aims: To determine whether indications for ordering antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) meet the 1999 guidelines proposed for ANCA testing; and to examine the test characteristics of the ANCA test.Methods: The indications for all ANCA tests over a two-year period were assessed and compared to the 1999 guidelines for the appropriate testing of ANCA.Results: 1127 tests were examined. Overall 33.4% had an indication meeting the 1999 guidelines. The commonest non-guideline indications were ocular or orbital inflammation, liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease. All tests with a positive ANCA had indications for testing in line with the 1999 guidelines. In all but one case an ANCA associated small vessel vasculitis (AASVV) was present.Conclusions: ANCA is ordered for a wide range of guideline and non-guideline indications. No cases of AASVV would have been missed if ordering were restricted to tests meeting the 1999 guidelines.