Table 3 Fifth Brazilian Consensus for Autoantibodies on HEp-2 cells: summary of recommendations

1 - Harmonization to the international guidelines for the anti-cell autoantibodies on HEp-2 cells and adoption of the corresponding ICAP AC code.

2 - Creation of preliminary Brazilian AC codes (BAC) for the patterns recognized by the BCA and not addressed in the ICAP algorithm at this time.

3 - Maintenance of the original BCA conceptual arrangement of groups and subgroups of patterns in the classification tree.

4 - Adequacy of the test designation: anti-cell autoantibodies (ANA HEp-2)

5 - Attention to the reproducibility of different patterns, depending on the commercial HEp-2 cell substrate used.

6 - Alert that solid phase-based tests should not replace Indirect Immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells as a screening test for anti-cell antibodies.

7 - Dilution of screening at 1/80.

8 -Titration of the conjugate for each new brand and lot of the same brand.

9 - Use of quality control strategies.

10 - Adequacy of the report to express the name of the pattern, ICAP code, titer, fluorescence pattern in each cellular compartment and classification of the chromosome metaphase plate