title: Interferon-γ release assay for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In Tube test (QTF) and the tuberculin skin test (TST) in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was carried out in nine hospitals in Madrid, Spain. TST and QTF were performed in immigrants, tuberculosis (TB) contacts and patients with TB disease (TBD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  459 children were included. Disagreement between the tests was more frequently observed among latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) cases (54%; 38/70) than in non-infected or TBD cases (0.8%; 3/369) (p<0.01). There were more BCG-vaccinated children among LTBI cases with negative QTF (76%) than among LTBI cases with positive QTF (40%) (p<0.001). Agreement between tests in BCG-vaccinated children was lower than in non-vaccinated cases (p<0.05). Tests in TB exposed patients showed better agreement than in non-exposed children (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agreement of both tests was excellent in TBD cases, non-vaccinated children and non-infected patients. A significant number of QTF negative results were observed among LTBI cases, especially in BCG-vaccinated children. Agreement was better in exposed children.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Department, La Paz Hospital, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain. amendezes@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Méndez-Echevarría
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Muñoz
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mellado
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baquero-Artigao
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blázquez
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Penín
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saavedra-Lozano
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Sampelayo
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: González-Tomé
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Jose Tomás
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guillén
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Velazquez
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Elia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000379:methods; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control