Top 10 facts about the world. Hand atrophy is a condition that causes muscles of the hand deteriorate and wither away. Also called muscle wasting, hand atrophy leads the muscles to begin to lose their bulk and strength. This in turn may cause a general decrease in the ability of the hand to move.
Why the test is used: Between 75% and 90% of people with lupus have a positive anti-dsDNA test. Also, the test is very specific for lupus. Therefore, a positive test can be useful in confirming a diagnosis. For many people, the titer, or level, of the antibodies rises as the disease becomes more active.
Patients with an antinuclear antibody titer of 1:40 and characteristic multiorgan system involvement can be diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus without additional testing; however, patients with an antibody titer of 1:40 who fail to meet full clinical criteria should undergo additional testing, including tests for antibody to double-stranded DNA antigen and antibody to Sm nuclear antigen.