What is Adenosine Deaminase (ADA)?
Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme that plays a vital role in the breakdown of adenosine, a building block of DNA and RNA. This enzyme is essential for the proper development and function of the immune system, especially for T lymphocytes (T cells), which are white blood cells that help the body fight infections and diseases. Without sufficient ADA activity, toxic byproducts can accumulate and disrupt immune function.
What does the “RBC” in the test name mean?
The term RBC stands for Red Blood Cells. Measuring ADA specifically in red blood cells (as opposed to serum or other compartments) provides insight into how this enzyme is functioning within blood cell metabolism and may reflect longer-term or intracellular changes related to immune or hematologic conditions.
Why is this test done?
The Adenosine Deaminase, RBC test is used to evaluate conditions that affect immune function, red blood cell health, or chronic infections. Elevated or decreased ADA activity in RBCs may be associated with:
-
Tuberculosis (TB)
ADA levels are often elevated in TB, especially in pleural TB. While ADA in pleural fluid is more specific for TB diagnosis, ADA in RBCs may still support broader immune or infectious disease evaluations. -
Autoimmune or chronic inflammatory conditions
Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or sarcoidosis may affect ADA levels due to chronic immune activation. -
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
In rare cases, very low ADA activity may suggest a genetic ADA deficiency, a cause of SCID—a life-threatening immune disorder found in newborns. -
Leukemias and lymphomas
Certain blood cancers may show abnormal ADA activity due to disrupted cell turnover and immune dysregulation.
What does an elevated ADA in RBCs mean?
An elevated Adenosine Deaminase (RBC) level may indicate:
-
Increased T-cell activity or immune system stimulation
-
Chronic infections, such as tuberculosis
-
Autoimmune diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis)
-
Certain hematologic cancers (e.g., lymphoma or leukemia)
-
Liver disease or other inflammatory states
However, this marker is not disease-specific—an elevated result is a clue rather than a definitive diagnosis.
What does a decreased ADA in RBCs mean?
A low ADA level in red blood cells may suggest:
-
ADA deficiency, a rare genetic disorder that leads to Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) in infants
-
Impaired T-cell function, possibly from bone marrow suppression or immunosuppressive therapies
-
Nutritional deficiencies affecting enzyme function
In adults, mildly decreased levels are less common and may be of uncertain significance unless correlated with other findings.
Here is a table summarizing the main conditions associated with abnormal Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) activity in red blood cells (RBCs):
| Condition | ADA in RBCs | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) | Decreased | ADA deficiency is a genetic cause of SCID, leading to impaired lymphocyte development and function12345810. |
| Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA) | Increased | Elevated erythrocyte ADA is a supportive diagnostic marker for DBA, a congenital red cell aplasia7. |
| Tuberculosis (especially pleural TB) | Increased | ADA is often elevated in TB, reflecting immune activation; more commonly measured in pleural fluid6. |
| Autoimmune/Chronic Inflammatory Diseases | Increased | Conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can increase ADA due to chronic immune stimulation6. |
| Hematologic Malignancies (Leukemia/Lymphoma) | Increased | Abnormal ADA activity may be seen due to disrupted cell turnover and immune dysregulation6. |
| Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes (non-DBA) | Variable | Some inherited and acquired marrow failure syndromes may alter ADA, but less specifically than DBA7. |
| Liver Diseases (e.g., hepatitis) | Increased | ADA may be elevated in various liver diseases due to inflammation or infection6. |
| Nutritional Deficiencies | Decreased | Can impair enzyme function, leading to reduced ADA activity6. |
Note: ADA activity in RBCs is a supportive, not definitive, marker for these conditions. Results must always be interpreted in clinical context.
How is this test used clinically?
Physicians may order ADA in RBCs as part of a workup for:
-
Chronic unexplained fatigue, fever, or weight loss
-
Suspected tuberculosis (in combination with other TB-specific tests)
-
Evaluation of immune deficiency or autoimmunity
-
Monitoring of certain cancer types or treatments
-
Investigation of abnormal red blood cell function
Because ADA levels can be influenced by many different factors, this test is typically interpreted alongside other lab results and clinical findings.
Key Takeaways
-
Adenosine Deaminase, RBC helps assess immune activity and certain metabolic or infectious conditions.
-
Elevated levels suggest immune activation, chronic inflammation, or infection.
-
Low levels may indicate immune deficiency, including rare conditions like ADA-SCID.
-
It’s a supportive test, not a standalone diagnostic tool—interpretation depends on clinical context.
If you’ve received abnormal results for this test, speak with your healthcare provider to discuss what it may mean for your health and whether further testing is recommended.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
Frequently asked questions
Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
- Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
- Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.
With a Healthmatters account, you can:
- Upload lab reports from any lab
- View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
- Track trends and monitor changes over time
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export and share your full lab history
- Access your results anytime, from any device
Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 10000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
- The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
- GI-MAP,
- The NutrEval FMV®,
- The ION Profile,
- Amino Acids Profile,
- Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
- Organic Acids Test,
- Organix Comprehensive Profile,
- Toxic Metals,
- Complete Blood Count (CBC),
- Metabolic panel,
- Thyroid panel,
- Lipid Panel,
- Urinalysis,
- And many, many more.
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.