Final answer:
The presence of negative antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) does not completely rule out a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Additional tests and symptom identification are necessary for an accurate diagnosis. While a negative ANA result may make SLE less likely, other SLE-specific autoantibodies could still be present.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of the question, 'Ab' likely refers to antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). ANAs are autoantibodies that are commonly found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease. However, the presence of negative ANA test results does not completely rule out a diagnosis of SLE.
Diagnosing SLE involves identifying specific symptoms and performing additional tests. A diagnosis of SLE depends on the presence of at least four out of 11 common symptoms and confirmed production of autoantibodies unique to SLE, such as anti-double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) and anti-Smith (Sm) antibodies.
Therefore, while a negative ANA test result may be suggestive that SLE is less likely, it does not definitively rule out SLE as other SLE-specific autoantibodies could still be present.