Role of the quantiferon-TB test in ruling out pleural tuberculosis: a multi-centre study.

摘要: Diagnosing pleural tuberculosis (plTB) might be difficult due to limited sensitivity of conventional microbiology tools. As M. (MTB)-specific T cells are recruited into space in plTB, their detection may provide useful clinical information. To this aim, addition standard diagnostic tests, we used the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) test blood and effusion (PE) samples from 48 patients with suspicion 18 (37.5%) whom had confirmed plTB. Four them (22.2%) tested positive a nucleic acid amplification for MTB. The tuberculin skin was most plTB cases (88.9%). Positive QFT-IT tests were significantly more frequent as compared an alternative diagnosis, both (77.7 vs 36.6%, p=0.006) PE (83.3% 46.6%, p=0.02). In addition, MTB-stimulated IFN-gamma levels higher (p=0.03 p=0.0049 non-plTB, respectively). samples, 77.8% 63.3% specificity, resulting 56.0% (PPV) 82.6% negative (NPV) predictive values. On PE, 83.3% specificity 53.3% (PPV 51.7% NPV 84.2%). optimal AUC-derived cut-off level 3.01 IU/mL (77.8% sensitivity, 80% PPV 68.4% 82.8%). These data suggest that have role ruling out practice.