Utility of QuantiFERON TB gold test in a south Indian patient population of ocular inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
To study the utility of interferon-g release assays (QuantiFERON TB gold test) in a south Indian patient population of intraocular inflammation.


METHODS
Evaluation of a diagnostic test- a pilot study from January 2007 to October 2008.


METHODS
QuantiFERON TB gold test was performed on the following groups of patients following an informed consent. Group A included healthy volunteers without any exposure to tuberculosis (TB) or past history of TB (n=22). Group B included patients with active systemic TB diagnosed by the demonstration of acid-fast bacilli or by the histopathology finding of caseation with granuloma formation from the sputum, lymph node, skin or intestinal biopsies (n=26). Group C included patients with uveitis of known etiologies other than intraocular TB without any history of exposure to active TB (n=21). Group D included patients with a diagnosis of presumed intraocular TB, who responded to antitubercular therapy by decreased or no recurrences following treatment and with a minimum of nine months follow-up following initiation of antitubercular therapy (n=39).


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of the QuantiFERON TB gold test to pick up active systemic TB was 58% and 77% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the QuantiFERON TB gold test to pickup intraocular TB was 82% and 76% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
QuantiFERON TB gold test alone may not be specific for intraocular TB. The significance of this test in a case scenario needs to be interpreted with clinical presentation and other evidences for intraocular TB.
Babu
Kalpana
K
Vittala International Institute of Ophthalmology & Prabha Eye Clinic And Research Center, Bangalore, India. kb_7375@yahoo.co.in
Satish
Vidya
V
Satish
S
S
Subbakrishna
D K
DK
Abraham
Mariamma Philips
MP
Murthy
Krishna R
KR
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014392:Tuberculosis, Ocular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D007371:Interferon-gamma