Tests for latent tuberculosis in people with ESRD: a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
The relative diagnostic accuracy of interferon γ release assays (IGRAs; based on ELISA [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay] or ELISPOT [enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot], ie, the QuantiFERON and T-SPOT.TB tests, respectively) and the tuberculin skin test (TST) for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection in people with end-stage kidney disease is uncertain and national guidelines for their use are inconsistent.


METHODS
Systematic review.


METHODS
Evaluated performance of tests for latent TB with clinical risk-factor assessment.


METHODS
People with end-stage kidney disease (chronic kidney disease stage 5 [eGFR <15] or kidney transplant recipients). No limits on setting.


METHODS
ELISA- or ELISPOT-based IGRAs, TST, assays to detect antimycobacterial antibodies, and flow cytometry-based tests.


RESULTS
Odds of test positivity with clinical risk factor for latent TB, expressed as ORs and relative ORs (RORs).


RESULTS
47 studies (6,828 participants) were included, but only 30 studies (4,546 participants) contained sufficient data to contribute to meta-analysis. Studies were predominately in the dialysis population (23/30; 3,700 participants) in countries with low to moderate TB prevalence (0.0-50.0 cases/10(5) persons). BCG vaccination rate was variable (2.7%-100.0%). 9 studies compared IGRAs with the TST directly, 17 studies evaluated the TST only, and the other 4 studies evaluated other tests. Compared to a positive TST result, a positive ELISA-based IGRA result was associated more strongly with radiologic evidence of past TB (ROR, 4.29; 95% CI, 1.83-10.3; P = 0.001) and contact with active TB (ROR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.61-7.01; P = 0.001). Compared to a negative TST result, a negative ELISA-based IGRA result was associated more strongly with BCG vaccination (ROR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.14-0.63; P = 0.002). There were insufficient data to compare performance of the ELISPOT-based IGRA with the TST or ELISA-based IGRA.


CONCLUSIONS
17 of 47 included studies (36.2%) did not contain sufficient data to contribute to meta-analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to the TST, the ELISA-based IGRA was associated more strongly with risk factors for latent TB in end-stage kidney disease.
Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia.
Thomas E
TE
Rogerson
Sharon
S
Chen
Jen
J
Kok
Andrew
A
Hayen
Jonathan C
JC
Craig
Kamal
K
Sud
Kathy
K
Kable
Angela C
AC
Webster
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014374:Tuberculin Test
D007371:Interferon-gamma