RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impact of Quantiferon TB Gold intensity response in active over latent tuberculosis
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P419
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Faheem Khan
A1 Orla Cotter
A1 Jim Clair
A1 David Curran
A1 T. O'Connor
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P419.abstract
AB We sought to determine whether the intensity of response in patients with a positive Quantiferon-TB Gold assay (QTF) was predictive of active over latent tuberculosis, and whether other factors determined the intensity of response.We analyzed positive Quantiferon assays (Cellestis, Carnegie, Australia) performed between July 2009 and April 2011 in the Mercy University Hospital, Cork. The group consisted of 94 patients with latent tuberculosis and 35 patients with active tuberculosis.There was no difference in the intensity of response between patients with latent and active tuberculosis (p=0.1589). In patients with latent tuberculosis, there were no correlations between age (p=0.353), sex (p=0.476), smoking status (p=0.323), contact history (p=0.612), Mantoux response (p=0.055), Irish nationality (p=0.768), previous BCG vaccination (p=0.504), WCC (p=0.187), peripheral lymphocyte count (p=0.786), neutrophil count (p=0.157) and the intensity of QTF response. Similarly in active TB group there is no correlation found between mentioned variables and QTF response.The intensity of QTF response does not help to differentiate active from latent tuberculosis. In adults with tuberculosis, the intensity of QTF response is not influenced by age, sex, smoking, remoteness of contact history, Mantoux response, nationality, CXR abnormalities, BCG vaccination and peripheral lymphocyte count.