OBJECTIVE: We prospectively evaluated the usefulness of the QuantiFERON TB-2G (QFT-2G) compared to that of tuberculin skin test (TST) as a supportive method of diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) without invasive examinations. METHODS: The subjects were 90 patients who required differentiation of pulmonary TB clinically and for whom a definitive diagnosis could not be obtained after admission. The final clinical diagnosis of TB infection in 28 patients and non-TB infection in 62 patients was established using bronchoscopic procedures. RESULTS: In patients with TB infection, the positive response rate on QFT-2G (79%) was significantly higher than that on TST (57%). The QFT-2G negative rate (5%) was significantly lower than that on TST (48%) in patients with non-TB infection. For QFT-2G test, there was a positive response in 25 patients, a negative response in 49, and indeterminate findings in 16. Of the two patients with a false-negative result on QFT-2G, one had pulmonary TB during immunosuppressive treatment and one had pulmonary tuberculoma. Of the three non-TB patients with a positive result on QFT-2G, two had pneumonia and one had pulmonary mycosis. Four TB patients with an indeterminate result on QFT-2G included two elderly patients and two immunocompromised patients. CONCLUSIONS: We could confirm the usefulness of the QFT-2G test compared to TST in patients requiring a differential diagnosis between pulmonary TB and other pulmonary diseases in this series. Therefore, we recommend the QFT-2G test as one of the useful noninvasive diagnostic examinations for pulmonary TB.
OBJECTIVE: We prospectively evaluated the usefulness of the QuantiFERON TB-2G (QFT-2G) compared to that of tuberculin skin test (TST) as a supportive method of diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) without invasive examinations. METHODS: The subjects were 90 patients who required differentiation of pulmonary TB clinically and for whom a definitive diagnosis could not be obtained after admission. The final clinical diagnosis of TB infection in 28 patients and non-TB infection in 62 patients was established using bronchoscopic procedures. RESULTS: In patients with TB infection, the positive response rate on QFT-2G (79%) was significantly higher than that on TST (57%). The QFT-2G negative rate (5%) was significantly lower than that on TST (48%) in patients with non-TB infection. For QFT-2G test, there was a positive response in 25 patients, a negative response in 49, and indeterminate findings in 16. Of the two patients with a false-negative result on QFT-2G, one had pulmonary TB during immunosuppressive treatment and one had pulmonary tuberculoma. Of the three non-TB patients with a positive result on QFT-2G, two had pneumonia and one had pulmonary mycosis. Four TB patients with an indeterminate result on QFT-2G included two elderly patients and two immunocompromised patients. CONCLUSIONS: We could confirm the usefulness of the QFT-2G test compared to TST in patients requiring a differential diagnosis between pulmonary TB and other pulmonary diseases in this series. Therefore, we recommend the QFT-2G test as one of the useful noninvasive diagnostic examinations for pulmonary TB.
Authors: D I Ling; M Pai; V Davids; L Brunet; L Lenders; R Meldau; G Calligaro; B Allwood; R van Zyl-Smit; J Peter; E Bateman; R Dawson; K Dheda Journal: Eur Respir J Date: 2011-02-24 Impact factor: 16.671
Authors: John Z Metcalfe; Adithya Cattamanchi; Eric Vittinghoff; Christine Ho; Jennifer Grinsdale; Philip C Hopewell; L Masae Kawamura; Payam Nahid Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2009-10-01 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: Martine G Aabye; Pernille Ravn; George PrayGod; Kidola Jeremiah; Apolinary Mugomela; Maria Jepsen; Daniel Faurholt; Nyagosya Range; Henrik Friis; John Changalucha; Aase B Andersen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2009-01-19 Impact factor: 3.240