Clinical value of whole-blood interferon-gamma assay in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and AFB smear- and polymerase chain reaction-negative bronchial aspirates

Jaehee Lee, Shin Yup Lee, Seung Soo Yoo, Seung Ick Cha, Dong Il Won, Jae Yong Park, Won Kil Lee, Chang Ho Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Combining a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with bronchoscopy is frequently performed to allow a rapid diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, limited data are available concerning clinical judgment in patients with suspected PTB and AFB smear- and PCR-negative bronchial aspirates (BA). The present study evaluated the usefulness of whole-blood QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) testing in these patients. Of 166 patients with suspected PTB who had undergone bronchoscopy because of smear-negative sputum or inadequate sputum production, 93 (56%) were diagnosed with culture-positive PTB. Seventy-four patients were either AFB smear- or PCR-positive. In the 75 patients whose BA AFB smear and PCR results were both negative, 19 were finally diagnosed with PTB by culture. The QFT test had a negative predictive value of 91% for PTB. The QFT test may be useful for excluding PTB in patients with suspected PTB whose BA AFB smear and PCR results are both negative.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)252-256
Number of pages5
JournalDiagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Volume73
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2012

Keywords

  • Bronchoscopy
  • Polymerase chain reaction
  • QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube
  • Tuberculosis

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