Anti Soluble Liver Antigen (SLA)

Autoimmune diseases are tricky because your immune system starts attacking different body parts. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a disorder that can cause liver inflammation and harm the liver cells.

When left untreated, autoimmune hepatitis can cause permanent scarring or cirrhosis of the liver and eventually can cause permanent liver failure.

This fatal situation, however, can be avoided by early detection and treatment. Although there is no cure for autoimmune hepatitis, preventive measures can prolong the patient’s life. Hepatitis C is a disease that is linked with many autoimmune disorders.

A few common autoimmune disorders include:

• Cryoglobulinemia: Proteins in the blood clump together and thicken the blood in lower temperatures, preventing blood circulation. 
• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Also known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, this disorder causes excessive bruising and bleeding because of low platelet count. 
• Rheumatoid arthritis: A chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in the linings of the joints and is extremely painful. This disorder causes erosion and deformity to the joints. 
• Sjogren’s syndrome: This disorder targets the saliva and tear glands and causes dry eyes and mouth. It is associated with non-erosive arthritis. 
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Also known as lupus, this chronic disease is the most common disorder associated with hepatitis C and causes inflammation in your connective tissues. 
• Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are both results of this disorder. The most common type of this disorder is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Anti Soluble Liver Antigen (SLA) Test or Anti-SLA test helps determine the antibody levels in the blood to confirm autoimmune liver diseases. This blood test is highly effective in detecting autoimmune hepatitis and can be ordered through Apollo 24|7 website. Since hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), this test is also helpful in detecting HCV infections.

During the Anti-SLA test, the quality and quantity of the antibodies are tested to determine the presence of autoimmune liver diseases. This is done against a soluble liver antigen or SLA. The anti soluble liver antigen or SLA test can only detect whether someone is suffering from severe diseases and autoimmune liver disorders.

Not much preparation is required for the anti soluble liver antigen or anti-SLA test. But you must inform your doctor about any medication you are undergoing during the test. Depending on this, your doctor may advise you to stop using the medication the night before the test sample collection.