I understand my actual Western Blot results as much as I need to. They're "highly positive" (my LLMD's words) for the IgM and negative (but with a lot of equivicals) for the IgG.
The rest I'm not as sure about.
I tested High (63%) on my CD4 (Helper Cells)
On the Lupus panel I tested 80 on the Anti-Nuclear AB Titer.
For Human Monocytic IGM on the Ehrlichia Panel I tested Borderline.
Does anyone know what any of this means? My LLMD just said it's stuff to keep an eye on.
CD4 from a website...
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CD4+ T cells
CD4+ T cells bind an epitope consisting of an antigen fragment lying in the groove of a class II histocompatibility molecule. CD4+ T cells are essential for both the cell-mediated and antibody-mediated branches of the immune system:
cell-mediated immunity
These CD4+ cells bind to antigen presented by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) like phagocytic macrophages and dendritic cells. The T cells then release lymphokines that attract other cells to the area. The result is inflammation: the accumulation of cells and molecules that attempt to wall off and destroy the antigenic material (an abscess is one example, the rash following exposure to poison ivy is another).
Discussion of cell-mediated immunity.
antibody-mediated immunity
These CD4+ cells, called helper T cells, bind to antigen presented by B cells (as shown above). The result is the development of clones of plasma cells secreting antibodies against the antigenic material
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I take it a high number means good. AIDS patients lose CD4 cell function and hence can't fight off diseases.
ANA (Anti-Nuclear AB)
This test tests for a generic antibody in the blood that your body is making in response to some "foreign" invader. The normal level is 40 so you are borderline. The levels double (40, 80, 160, 320, 640, etc) The high the level, the higher your bodies response to the invader. Mine was 640 and is very common in Lyme. With treatment is has gone down to 320. Oh, almost forgot, this test is one of the first signals for Lupus, Scleroderma or other autoimmune diseases. If you have Lyme, it is the Lyme causing the elevation. However, as someone who has gone through the gamut of autoimmune disease tests, I can say that 80 means nothing and probably does not warrant any other investigation. If it was 320 or 640, I would investigate with a Rheumatologist.
My 2 cents...
Don't know the other ones... hope this helps.
Ed
[This message has been edited by lymeinboston (edited 28 July 2004).]