Abstract

BACKGROUND
Interferon-gamma release tests are appealing alternatives to the tuberculin skin test (TST) for latent tuberculosis infection.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the yield of the Quantiferon TB Gold test (QFT-G) in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis disease, with a focus on elderly patients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB).
METHODS
The QFT-G test was performed in 98 patients suspected of having active tuberculosis. The results were evaluated for each subgroup of patients and compared to the results of the TST.
RESULTS
Active tuberculosis was diagnosed in 92 of the 98 patients. Sixteen (17.3%) were elderly patients (over age 70), 15 (16%) were co-infected with HIV, and 14 (15%) had EPTB. QFT-G was positive in 49 patients (53%) and indeterminate in 4. The results were not significantly affected by HIV coinfection (P = 0.17), old age (P = 0.4), orthe presence of EPTB (P = 0.4). There was a good correlation between the TST and the QFT-G test (P < 0.001). In EPTB and in the elderly, the QFT-G test appears to be better than the TST.
CONCLUSIONS
The QFT-G test is suboptimal in its ability to detect active tuberculosis and should not be used to exclude it.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Bendayan D, Hendler A, Litman K, Polansky V

Institution

Pulmonary and Tuberculosis Department, Shmuel Harofe Hospital, Beer Yaakov, Israel. daniellbd@hotmail.com

Source

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ 14:2 2012 Feb pg 107-10

MeSH

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Coinfection
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
HIV Infections
Humans
Interferon-gamma Release Tests
Male
Middle Aged
Predictive Value of Tests
Sensitivity and Specificity
Tuberculin Test
Tuberculosis
Young Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22693792