The efficacy of the interferon-γ release assay for diagnosing cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis: A prospective controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
The whole-blood interferon (IFN)-γ release assay (IGRA) has been studied mainly for diagnosing latent tuberculosis (TB). We prospectively evaluated its diagnostic usefulness in patients with suspected cervical TB lymphadenitis.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
An IGRA was performed in subjects with suspected TB lymphadenitis. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the IGRA, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of culture, radiologic imaging, polymerase chain reaction testing, fine needle aspiration, and excisional biopsy.


RESULTS
Of the 271 adult patients with suspected TB lymphadenitis, 42 were diagnosed with the disease. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the IGRA were 78.8% and 95.5%, respectively. When the cutoff value of IFN-γ was set to 0.26 IU/mL, it met the inclusion criteria for suspicious TB lymphadenitis, with sensitivity and specificity of 83.3% and 95.1%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The IGRA is useful in diagnosing TB lymphadenitis, with high sensitivity and specificity.


METHODS
4.
Department of Otolaryngology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.|College of Nursing, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
Kyung Hee
KH
Kim
Regional Cardiocerebrovascular Center, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Rock Bum
RB
Kim
Department of Otolaryngology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.|Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
Seung Hoon
SH
Woo
D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial
Tuberculosis; culture; diagnosis; interferon-γ release assay; lymphadenitis