Background: Antinuclear antibodies are seen in autoimmune diseases and malignancies. These indicators are critical for early cancer diagnosis. The prognosis is affected by ANAs and malignancy.
Objectives: Explore the association between ANA and acute leukemia, and categorize the patterns by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF).
Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Qena University Hospital, Egypt, from November 2021 to May 2022. All previously diagnosed acute leukemia cases that fulfilled inclusion criteria were studied and subjected to complete blood count, serum ANA detection, and identification of the ANA patterns by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF).
Results: 51 patients, 31 (60.78%) females and 20 (39.22%) males, 38 (74.5%) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represented, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 13 (25.5%). Positive ANA cases were 16 (31.37%). The positive group was significantly younger (16.3 ± 13.11 years) versus the negative group (34.63 ± 19.37 years). Eosinophil percentage was significantly lower in the positive group (0.55 ± 0.92 %) versus the negative group (1.19 ± 1.22 %). Monocyte count was significantly increased in cases with homogeneous cases compared to speckled.
Conclusion: The ANA's diverse IIF expression patterns (homogeneous, nuclear, and speckled patterns) in acute leukemia patients indicate a potential association with immune system alteration and autoantibody production targeting various nuclear components.