%0 Journal Article %A Daniela Tannus-Silva %A Bruna Silva %A Pedro Paulo Torres %A Pedro Jose Junior %A Ana Paula Junqueira-Kipnis %A Marcelo Rabahi %T Latent tuberculosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Evaluating cellular response and new diagnostic strategies %D 2011 %J European Respiratory Journal %P p4360 %V 38 %N Suppl 55 %X Introduction: Diagnosing latent tuberculosis (TBIL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has became more important with the introduction of the use of anti-TNF-alpha agents and the appearance of active tuberculosis in these patients. The tuberculin skin test (TST), has limited value when used in patient with AR. New tests based in the production and release of IFN-gamma have been studied but their role has not been well established for this specific group of patients.Objectives: Comparing the diagnosis of TBIL in a group of patients with RA by using tuberculin skin test, T.SPOT-TB and by means of tomography findings compatible with TBIL.Methods: A clinical-epidemiological evaluation, use of TST, T.SPOT-TB and high-resolution computed tomography (TCAR) in a group of patients with AR in University Hospital of Goiás, Brazil.Results: The response to the TST was smaller in patients with AR (13.5%), relative to the response expected from the general population. The T.SPOT-TB identified a higher number of patients with TBIL, relative to the TST (36.8%). TCAR presented changes which were compatible with TBIL in 52.9% of the patients included in the study, and among the eight of the eleven patients with TST and T.SPOT-TB negative.Conclusions: In isolation, TST is an insufficient test to diagnose TBIL. A higher number of positive results were obtained with T.SPOT TB, relative to TST, but it was negative in a large percentage of patients with tomography findings consistent with TBIL. The TCAR test is easily performed in most of the large centers and should be incorporated into the diagnostic strategy for TBIL in patients with RA. %U