Document Detail


Use of the T-SPOT.TB assay to detect latent tuberculosis infection among rheumatic disease patients on immunosuppressive therapy.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19228655     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the T-SPOT.TB assay to identify latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in patients with rheumatic disease receiving immunosuppressive medication including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists. METHODS: A total of 200 patients seen in the Arthritis Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital were enrolled for study. Most patients were US-born women with rheumatoid arthritis. A medical history was obtained using a questionnaire, whole blood was drawn for the T-SPOT.TB assay, and tuberculin skin testing (TST) was performed. RESULTS: Both tests were performed on 179 subjects, who had no history of a positive TST. All subjects had a strong response to the T-SPOT.TB test positive control, and there were no indeterminate results. Among these 179 subjects, 2 had a positive TST and 10 had a positive T-SPOT.TB test. No subject was positive for both tests. Patients with a positive T-SPOT.TB test did not have typical risk factors for LTBI based on clinical evaluation. CONCLUSION: The lack of concordance between the TST and the T-SPOT.TB assay may indicate that the immunoassay is more sensitive, particularly in a patient population taking immunosuppressive medications. It is equally likely that the low prevalence of LTBI in this low-risk population led to an increase in the false-positive rate despite the high sensitivity and specificity of the T-SPOT.TB assay. In the context of our patient population, the T-SPOT.TB assay is likely to be most useful in evaluation of patients with a positive TST, since these patients have a higher pretest probability of having LTBI.
Authors:
Samuel M Behar; Daniel S Shin; Agnes Maier; Jonathan Coblyn; Simon Helfgott; Michael E Weinblatt
Related Documents :
19225075 - Differences in tuberculin reactivity as determined in a veterans administration employe...
20979495 - Questionable effectiveness of the quantiferon-tb gold test (cellestis) as a screening t...
9196365 - Predictive value of a 24 hour tuberculin skin test evaluation.
1457545 - Mycobacterium bovis infection in north american elk (cervus elaphus).
2855085 - The first epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis due to a coxsackievirus a24 vari...
12708105 - The effect of order of testing in functional performance in persons with and without ch...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-02-17
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of rheumatology     Volume:  36     ISSN:  0315-162X     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Rheumatol.     Publication Date:  2009 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-03-16     Completed Date:  2009-05-21     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7501984     Medline TA:  J Rheumatol     Country:  Canada    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  546-51     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02492, USA. sbehar@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Antirheumatic Agents / adverse effects,  therapeutic use*
Female
Humans
Immunoassay
Immunocompromised Host*
Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects,  therapeutic use*
Interferon-gamma / analysis
Male
Middle Aged
Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
Rheumatic Diseases / complications,  drug therapy,  immunology*
Tuberculosis / diagnosis*,  immunology
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antirheumatic Agents; 0/Immunosuppressive Agents; 0/Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; 0/Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; 82115-62-6/Interferon-gamma

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Comparison of threshold cutpoints and continuous measures of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antib...
Next Document:  Rate of discordant findings in bilateral temporal artery biopsy to diagnose giant cell arteritis.