Abstract
The value of QuantiFERON in the diagnosis of tuberculosis disease and in the monitoring of the response to anti-tuberculosis treatment is unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test in the diagnosis of tuberculosis and in the monitoring of the response to anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Between January 2013 and December 2015, 133 cases with active PTB and 133 controls with no mycobacterial infection, matched by age (within 3 years) and by the week that they visited Tainan Chest Hospital, were enrolled in the study. Serial testing by QFT-GIT at baseline and after 2 and 6 months of treatment was performed. At these time points, a comparison of the performance of QFT-GIT with that of sputum culture status among study subjects was conducted. Compared to baseline, 116 (87.2%) cases showed a decreased response, whereas 17 (12.8%) showed persistent or stronger interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) responses at 2 months. PTB patients IFN-γ responses declined significantly from baseline to 2 months (median, 6.32 vs. 4.12; p < 0.005). The sensitivity values of the QFT-GIT test for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis at cut-off points of 0.35 IU/mL, 0.20 IU/mL, and 0.10 IU/mL were 74.4%, 78.2%, and 80.5%, respectively. The specificity values at cut-off points of 0.35 IU/mL, 0.20 IU/mL, and 0.10 IU/mL were 66.2%, 63.9%, and 57.1%, respectively. Our results support the QFT-GIT assay as a potential tool for diagnosing tuberculosis and for monitoring the efficacy of anti-tuberculosis treatment.
Highlights
Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important global public health problem, with an estimated2 billion people who are infected, especially in high-burden low-income countries [1,2]
Chen et al [30] reported that IFN-γ responses declined significantly from baseline to 2 months and that the sensitivity of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis at a cut-off point of 0.35 international units (IU)/mL was 71.4%, with a specificity of 64.3%
This study provides important information regarding the role of QFT-GIT assays in the monitoring of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) treatment
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important global public health problem, with an estimated. 2 billion people who are infected, especially in high-burden low-income countries [1,2]. The early diagnosis of TB and the prevention of reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a complicated issue pertaining to the control and prevention of TB. The tuberculin skin test (TST) was the test most commonly used for the diagnosis of TB infection due to its low cost and convenience in most countries. This method has several disadvantages, including poor specificity in people who received the Bacille. Public Health 2017, 14, 236; doi:10.3390/ijerph14030236 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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