title: Comparison of whole-blood interferon-γ assay and flow cytometry for the detection of tuberculosis infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Limited data exist about the performance of the intracellular cytokine flow cytometry (ICCFC) with respect to that of the commercial interferon-γ release assay for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) infection. Here, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of an ICCFC with that of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) test for the detection of TB in a clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine patients suspected of having TB were prospectively included. Both the QFT-IT test and ICCFC were performed for all subjects (TB [n = 65] and non-TB [n = 24]). Ten healthy controls who tested negative by QFT-IT were also assessed by ICCFC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity of the ICCFC was significantly superior to that of the QFT-IT test (91% vs. 78%, p = 0.021). The clinical characteristics of patients in whom the ICCFC exhibited superior sensitivity compared to the QFT-IT test included advanced age, lymphocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, increased C-reactive protein level, a positive acid-fast bacilli smear of respiratory specimens, and radiographically more extensive disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICCFC might be a preferable technique for the detection of TB infection, particularly in patients with conditions associated with impaired performance of the QFT-IT test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-842, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shin Yup
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Seung Ick
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Jae Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma