PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Serpil Ocal AU - Nalan Demir AU - Sebnem Ataman AU - Ahmet Ugur Demir AU - Nurben Suldur AU - Akin Kaya AU - Oya Kayacan TI - Differences in the manegement of latent tuberculosis infection in patients treated with anti-TNF-α in Turkey DP - 2012 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - P2674 VI - 40 IP - Suppl 56 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2674.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2674.full SO - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40 AB - AIM: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is commonly detected with the tuberculin skin test (TST) before anti-TNF-α. BCG vaccination modifies TST reaction. We use different approaches to evaluate LTBI. We aimed to evaluate different approaches to LTBI and results in our clinic.METHOD: This report retrospectively evaluated data of patients treated with anti-TNF-α, including symptoms, size of TST reaction, used anti-TNF agent, treatment details and development of active tuberculosis disease.RESULTS: The study identified 99 consecutive patients referred for the evaluation of LTBI before starting anti-TNF therapy (54 men; mean age±SD: 44±12). The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was established in 56 patients, rheumatoid arthritis in 36 and other systemic inflammatory diseases in 7. Fifty four patients received infliximab, 36 adalimumab, 41 etanercept. The median follow up was 25 months (range 9-41). Of the 56 patients who underwent LTBI treatment, 29 took isoniazid for 6 months and 20 for 9 months, 7 did not complete a 6-month course of LTBI treatment. Two took isoniazid for 12 months and one for 24 months. Three patients who had a history of treatment of tuberculosis had received anti-TNF-α agonist. Active tuberculosis developed in one of the two patients who had TST >15 mm and refused LTBI treatment after 3 month of anti-TNF-α treatment.CONCLUSION: Different LTBI approaches according to threshold size of TST reaction was observed even in the same center in our country. We need a multicenter study to determine the best TST thresold value to develop national guidelines.