The tuberculin skin test still matters for the screening of latent Tuberculosis infections among Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Abreu, C (Author) FMUP; Almeida, F (Author) Other; Ferraz, R (Author) Other; Dias C (Author) FMUP; Sarmento A (Author) FMUP; Magro F (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Digestive and Liver Disease

Vol. 48

Pages: 1438-1443

ISSN: 1590-8658

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-EE5

DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2016.08.107

Abstract (EN): Background and aims: There is a high risk of Tuberculosis among patients medicated with anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF alpha) that can be mitigated by treating latent Tuberculosis infections (LTI). This study aimed to evaluate the performance of Tuberculin Skin test (TST) and Quantiferon-TB Gold in Tube (QFT-GIT) in a population of patients suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Methods: The cohort analyzed in this study consisted of 250 patients, of whom 15% were therapy-naive and 85% were medicated: 70% under immunosuppressive therapy and 30% on anti-TNF alpha. A LTBI was diagnosed following a positive result in either of the tests and their performance and concordance were evaluated. Results: Fifty-eight and 24 patients had a positive TST and QFT-GIT, respectively. In 72 (29%) patients LTBI was diagnosed, of whom 8 (21%) were therapy-naive. TST had an overall higher sensitivity (81% vs. 35%) and a higher Negative Predictive Value (93% vs. 80%) when compared to QFT-GIT test; this superiority was consistently maintained irrespective of the presence and kind of backbone immunosuppressive therapies. The concordance between both tests was weak. Conclusions: Our results underscore the need to maintain the TST on LTBI diagnosis in patients about to start or switch anti-TNF alpha therapy in an intermediate Tuberculosis incidence context.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6