Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
SHR Neuro Krebs Kardio Lipid Stoffw Microb
Felber, A; Graninger, W.
Weakly positive tests and chronologic variation of the QuantiFERON assay: a retrospective appraisal of usefulness.
Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2013; 93(6):647-653
Doi: 10.1016/j.tube.2013.07.006
Web of Science
PubMed
FullText
FullText_MUG
- Führende Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Ficjan Anja
- Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Graninger Winfried
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- Abstract:
- QuantiFERON Tb Gold IT (QFT) is routinely used as diagnostic tool for detecting immune reactivity towards Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When diagnosing a latent infection weakly positive results and test reproducibility must be considered. To judge the frequency of useful information versus confusion gained by QFT in patients with immune-mediated diseases and in pulmonary outpatients. We retrospectively analysed 1485 QFT-tests performed on 855 patients with autoimmune diseases prior to initiating biologics and on 447 pulmonary outpatients with a suspected tuberculosis infection over a period of 16 months. In 161 cases the IGRA test was erroneously repeated. After 18 months clinical, radiographic and bacteriologic evidence for tuberculosis was collected. Of all 1485 QFT-tests 247 (=16.63%) showed a positive result, 1186 (79.87%) were negative and 52 (3.50%) turned out to be indeterminate. Using the manufacturers cut-off value for the interferon-γ response, a cohort (n = 64) of weakly positive individuals (26% of all positives) was apparent. Repeated testing within ten weeks yielded negative reactivity in 69% of these patients. Of 25 IGRA positive patients who had a repeat test after one year without tuberculosis medication, 48% showed a reversion to a negative test. The frequency of indeterminate results of the IGRA was satisfying (3.5%). In case of only slightly elevated immune reactivity quantitative reporting of positive QFT-test results and a repeat test strategy might be of advantage for the usefulness of the test. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Antigens, Bacterial - immunology
- Autoimmune Diseases - drug therapy
- Autoimmune Diseases - immunology
- False Positive Reactions -
- Humans -
- Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use
- Interferon-gamma - blood
- Interferon-gamma Release Tests - methods
- Latent Tuberculosis - diagnosis
- Latent Tuberculosis - immunology
- Reproducibility of Results -
- Retrospective Studies -
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - immunology
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- QuantiFERON
- Anti-TNF-alpha-therapy
- Immunosuppression
- Test reproducibility