Enzyme-linked immunospot assay for interferon-gamma to support the diagnosis of tuberculosis in diabetic patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the support to tuberculosis diagnosis of a new immunological tool, an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay for interferon-γ, in diabetic patients. From March 2007 to January 2008, diabetic patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis were enrolled in a tertiary care hospital. Data on clinical characteristics of the patients and conventional laboratory results were collected and blood samples were obtained for ELISPOT assay (T SPOT-TB; Oxford Immunotec Ltd, Oxford, UK). A total of 84 patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis were recruited. Fifty-one (60.7%) of these patients were considered to have pulmonary tuberculosis, including 42 (50%) with confirmed tuberculosis and 9 (10.7%) with probable tuberculosis. The overall (confirmed and probable tuberculosis) sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the ELISPOT assay were 84.3%, 66.7%, 79.6%, and 73.3%, respectively. The negative predictive value of the ELISPOT assay was significantly higher in patients with adequate glycaemic control (90% vs 56.3%). In conclusion, the ELISPOT assay can provide useful support in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis in diabetic patients, especially those with adequate glycaemic control.
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Centre, Tainan, Taiwan.
C K
CK
Tan
Chih-Cheng
CC
Lai
H W
HW
Chen
Chun-Hsing
CH
Liao
Chien-Hong
CH
Chou
Y T
YT
Huang
W S
WS
Yang
C J
CJ
Yu
Po-Ren
PR
Hsueh
D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
D007371:Interferon-gamma