BACKGROUND: The accurate diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection reduces the risk of progression to severe disseminated disease. However, in young children, a major limitation of the standard tuberculin skin test is that false-negative results cannot be detected. The new interferon-gamma release assays QuantiFERON-TB Gold (Cellestis Carnegie Victoria, Australia), QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube (Cellestis), and T-SPOT.TB (Oxford Immunotec, Abingdon, United Kingdom) show promise of greater accuracy, but they may also be affected by impaired cellular immunity, resulting in indeterminate results (ie, insufficient response in positive-control wells).OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the impact of age on the performance of interferon-gamma release assays when used in a routine hospital setting among children tested for suspected active or latent TB infection.METHODS:We retrospectively studied 496 children 0 to 19 years of age who had been tested with the tuberculin skin test and at least 1 interferon-gamma release assay: 181 with QuantiFERON-TB Gold and 315 with QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube. In 154 of the children, paired interferon-gamma release assay testing was available: 87 with QuantiFERON-TB Gold/T-SPOT.TB and 67 with QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube/T-SPOT.TB.RESULTS:Compared with T-SPOT.TB, the rates of indeterminate results were significantly higher for both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube. QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube also gave indeterminate results more frequently in children <4 years of age than in those >/=4 years of age. Indeterminate results were associated with younger age for both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube but not for T-SPOT.TB. Considering age as a binary variable (<4 and >/=4 years of age), a significantly higher concentration of phytohaemagglutinin-produced interferon-gamma was observed in older children with both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube.CONCLUSIONS:Different blood tests for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children seem to perform differently, because both QuantiFERON-TB tests were more likely than T-SPOT.TB to give indeterminate results in children <4 years of age.

Performance of commerical blood tests for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents / Bergamini, Barbara Maria; M., Losi; F., Vaienti; D'Amico, Roberto; B., Meccugni; M., Meacci; D., De Giovanni; F., Rumpianesi; Fabbri, Leonardo; F., Balli; Richeldi, Luca. - In: PEDIATRICS. - ISSN 0079-0400. - STAMPA. - 123:3(2009), pp. e419-e424. [10.1542/peds.2008-1722]

Performance of commerical blood tests for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents

BERGAMINI, Barbara Maria;D'AMICO, Roberto;FABBRI, Leonardo;RICHELDI, Luca
2009

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The accurate diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection reduces the risk of progression to severe disseminated disease. However, in young children, a major limitation of the standard tuberculin skin test is that false-negative results cannot be detected. The new interferon-gamma release assays QuantiFERON-TB Gold (Cellestis Carnegie Victoria, Australia), QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube (Cellestis), and T-SPOT.TB (Oxford Immunotec, Abingdon, United Kingdom) show promise of greater accuracy, but they may also be affected by impaired cellular immunity, resulting in indeterminate results (ie, insufficient response in positive-control wells).OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the impact of age on the performance of interferon-gamma release assays when used in a routine hospital setting among children tested for suspected active or latent TB infection.METHODS:We retrospectively studied 496 children 0 to 19 years of age who had been tested with the tuberculin skin test and at least 1 interferon-gamma release assay: 181 with QuantiFERON-TB Gold and 315 with QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube. In 154 of the children, paired interferon-gamma release assay testing was available: 87 with QuantiFERON-TB Gold/T-SPOT.TB and 67 with QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube/T-SPOT.TB.RESULTS:Compared with T-SPOT.TB, the rates of indeterminate results were significantly higher for both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube. QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube also gave indeterminate results more frequently in children <4 years of age than in those >/=4 years of age. Indeterminate results were associated with younger age for both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube but not for T-SPOT.TB. Considering age as a binary variable (<4 and >/=4 years of age), a significantly higher concentration of phytohaemagglutinin-produced interferon-gamma was observed in older children with both QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB In-Tube.CONCLUSIONS:Different blood tests for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children seem to perform differently, because both QuantiFERON-TB tests were more likely than T-SPOT.TB to give indeterminate results in children <4 years of age.
2009
123
3
e419
e424
Performance of commerical blood tests for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents / Bergamini, Barbara Maria; M., Losi; F., Vaienti; D'Amico, Roberto; B., Meccugni; M., Meacci; D., De Giovanni; F., Rumpianesi; Fabbri, Leonardo; F., Balli; Richeldi, Luca. - In: PEDIATRICS. - ISSN 0079-0400. - STAMPA. - 123:3(2009), pp. e419-e424. [10.1542/peds.2008-1722]
Bergamini, Barbara Maria; M., Losi; F., Vaienti; D'Amico, Roberto; B., Meccugni; M., Meacci; D., De Giovanni; F., Rumpianesi; Fabbri, Leonardo; F., Ba...espandi
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