title: Risk factors for false-negative results of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay in non-HIV-infected patients with culture-confirmed tuberculosis.
abstract: Limited information is available on the risk factors for false-negative results with the new generation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) tests in non-HIV-infected patients with tuberculosis (TB). We sought to identify risk factors for false-negative QFT-GIT results in culture-confirmed TB patients. We reviewed the microbiological, laboratory, radiographic, and clinical data of 362 patients with positive M. tuberculosis cultures who received QFT-GIT tests at a Korean tertiary hospital between September 2006 and March 2010. Of these, 311 (85.9%) had true-positive and 51 (14.1%) had false-negative results. The false-negative group was more likely to have immunosuppressant diseases and lower platelet, protein, and albumin levels than the true-positive group. An immunosuppressive condition was an independent risk factor for false-negative QFT-GIT results in non-HIV-infected patients with active TB (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-6.47; P = .006). Careful interpretation of negative QFT-GIT results is thus necessary in immunocompromised patients suspected of having active TB.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Moo Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Sam
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Se Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Young Ae
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult