title: Role of the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test in the diagnosis of intrathoracic childhood tuberculosis.
abstract: METHODS
  Tertiary care hospitals in India.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the performance of the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) with that of the tuberculin skin test (TST) in the diagnosis of intrathoracic childhood tuberculosis (TB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with intrathoracic TB were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial studying micronutrient supplementation in intrathoracic TB. They underwent TST and QFT-GIT before starting daily anti-tuberculosis treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 362 children (median age 115.5 months, IQR 73-144, 55% girls) enrolled in the study, microbiological confirmation of TB was obtained in 128 (35%). The TST was positive in 337 (93%, 95%CI 90-95.5) and QFT-GIT in 297 (82%, 95%CI 77.8-85.6). Sensitivity of TST and QFT-GIT in culture-confirmed TB cases was respectively 90.5% (95%CI 84.1-94.5) and 82.6% (95%CI 74.9-88.4). QFT-GIT positivity rate correlated with TST induration (P < 0.001). TST was influenced by the disease spectrum (P = 0.004) and the age of the children (P = 0.002); QFT-GIT remained unaffected by these factors. Bacille Calmette-Guérin immunisation status, weight-for-age Z-scores and microbiological confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis did not influence the performance of either test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In high-burden countries, QFT-GIT is comparable to TST and offers no added advantage in the diagnosis of childhood intrathoracic TB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lodha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: H M S
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Grewal
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kabra
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents