Quantiferon-TB-gold in tube test in the diagnosis of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

Introduction The Interferon-gamma in vitro detection tests could be a useful tool in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis compared to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) Methods The QuantiFERON-TB-Gold in Tube (QFG-IT) test was performed on the blood of 118 patients with active tuberculosis and the results compared with the tuberculin test Results The QFG-IT test was positive in 94 cases (79 7%) negative in 17 (14 4%) and indeterminate in 7 (5 9%) A negative or indeterminate QFG-IT test was more common in older patients (P=0 017) and in cases with negative smear tests (P=0 041) The kappa agreement between the tuberculin and QFG-IT tests was 74 5% with a kappa value of 0 45 (SE 0 136) Thirteen of the patients studied were Infected with HIV and the tuberculin was positive in 5 of the 12 cases (38 5%) in whom it was performed with the QFG IT being positive in 9/13 (69 2%) Conclusions The QFG-IT test may be a useful complimentary tool to the tuberculin test in the diagnosis of tuberculosis (C) 2009 Elsevier Espana S L All rights reserved