Comparative study of immunologic methods for demonstration of antibodies to soluble nuclear antigens

Abstract

Four methods to detect antibodies reactive with soluble nuclear antigens were compared—the fluorescent antibody technique, hemagglutination, complement fixation, and immunodiffusion. Certain advantages and disadvantages of each method are described. The first three methods have greater sensitivity than immunodiffusion, but immunodiffusion discriminates most reliably between different antibodies.