title: Diagnosing latent tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients measuring blood IP-10 production capacity: an analysis of chronic renal failure patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients undergoing haemodialysis for chronic renal failure-hemodialysis (CRF-HD) are at risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The effectiveness of using blood IP-10 production capacity to diagnose LTBI in CRF-HD patients was analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 50 CRF-HD patients. Interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) was done using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube (QFG-IT) system. Blood IP-10 production capacity was measured using the QFG-IT system tubes. Tuberculin skin testing (TST) was performed on the same day and the test results were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TST turned out to be positive in 36.4% of the patients and QFG-IT in 54% of them. After stimulation with specific tuberculosis antigens, blood IP-10 levels increased noticeably. The antigen-stimulated blood IP-10 level was significantly higher in patients who were either TST or QFG-IT positive than in patients whose tests were negative (p=0.0001). Using 4.02 pg/mL as the threshold for stimulated blood log-transformed IP-10 level, good agreement was observed between IP-10 and QFG-IT results (κ=1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood IP-10 level, which can be measured simply, provides results equivalent to IGRAs for the diagnosis of LTBI in CRF-HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Yedikule Teaching Hospital for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulsah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gunluoglu
authors.forename: Ekrem Cengiz
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Seyhan
authors.forename: Rumeyza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kazancioglu
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gunluoglu
authors.forename: Nurdan Simsek
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Veske
authors.forename: Esra Ertan
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Yazar
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altin
mesh_terms: D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test
chemical_list: C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D007371:Interferon-gamma