ANA
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Antinuclear antibody |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical, Organizations & Companies |
ANA has three meanings. The most common are Antinuclear antibody (laboratory test) and American Nurses Association (professional association and labor union); it can also stand for Association of National Advertisers.
Meanings of ANA at a glance
| # | ANA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antinuclear antibody | Medical › Laboratory Test |
| 2 | American Nurses Association | Organizations & Companies › Professional Association and Labor Union |
| 3 | Association of National Advertisers | Organizations & Companies › Professional Association and Labor Union |
1. Antinuclear antibody
Medical · Laboratory Test Abbreviations
Screening test for autoantibodies against components of the cell nucleus, used when lupus, Sjogren syndrome, scleroderma or other connective tissue diseases are suspected. Results give a titer (such as 1:160) and a staining pattern (homogeneous, speckled, nucleolar or centromere) from immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells.
Example: ANA 1:640 speckled; anti-dsDNA, anti-Smith and complements ordered.
More than 95 percent of people with lupus have a positive ANA, so a negative result makes lupus very unlikely; the 2019 EULAR/ACR lupus criteria require an ANA of at least 1:80 to enter classification. Low-titer positives are common in healthy people, especially women and older adults, so ANA testing without symptoms often causes needless worry. Specific antibodies are then tested to define the disease.
2. American Nurses Association
Organizations & Companies · Professional Association and Labor Union Abbreviations
Professional organization representing the interests of the nation's registered nurses, which publishes the Code of Ethics for Nurses and, through its credentialing center, runs the Magnet Recognition Program for hospitals.
Example: The ANA Code of Ethics requires nurses to advocate for patients' rights and safety.
It was founded in 1896 as the Nurses' Associated Alumnae of the United States and Canada. Its American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certifies nurses in specialties. Collective bargaining for nurses is largely carried out by other unions, such as National Nurses United.
3. Association of National Advertisers
Organizations & Companies · Professional Association and Labor Union Abbreviations
Trade association of companies that advertise and market their brands, which lobbies on advertising policy, sets industry guidelines and hosts the Masters of Marketing conference.
Example: An ANA study found that much programmatic ad spending never reached real publishers.
Founded in 1910, it merged with the Business Marketing Association in 2016. Its research on media transparency and ad fraud has influenced how brands buy digital advertising. In nursing, ANA means the American Nurses Association.
Related abbreviations
More laboratory test abbreviations
- Alb – Albumin
- ALC – Absolute lymphocyte count
- ALP – Alkaline phosphatase
- ALT – Alanine aminotransferase
- ANC – Absolute neutrophil count
- anti-CCP – Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody
- Anti-Xa – Anti-factor Xa assay
- ApoB – Apolipoprotein B
See all 135 laboratory test abbreviations →
More professional association and labor union abbreviations
- ALA – American Library Association
- ALPA – Air Line Pilots Association, International
- AMA – American Medical Association
- AMS – American Mathematical Society
- ANSI – American National Standards Institute
- AOA – American Optometric Association
- APA – American Psychological Association (style)
- APhA – American Pharmacists Association
See all 95 professional association and labor union abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.