What is the difference between ANCA and ANA?

Both are blood tests used by doctors to help in the diagnosis of autoimmune disease. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) is a blood test commonly elevated in patients with diseases such granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, and EGPA/Churg-Strauss syndrome. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) is a blood test most often elevated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (“lupus”), Sjogren’s syndrome, scleroderma, and other types of autoimmune diseases.

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