Comparison of the Sensitivity of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube and T-SPOT.TB According to Patient Age.
Currently, there are two types of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in use for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) infection, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (GFT-GIT) and T-SPOT.TB. Owing to contradictory reports regarding whether the results of these IGRAs are affected by the age of the patient, we aimed to determine if these two tests have age-related differences in sensitivity. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of diagnosed TB patients who were tested using either QFT-GIT or T-SPOT.TB from February 2008 to December 2013. The positivity of the two tests was analyzed and compared with true TB infection, which was defined as active TB based on either a positive Mycobacterium culture or a positive TB polymerase chain reaction. The QFT-GIT group included 192 TB patients, and the T-SPOT.TB group included 212 TB patients. Of the patients with pulmonary TB, 76 (39.6%) were in the QFT-GIT group and 143 (67.5%) in the T-SPOT.TB group. The overall sensitivity was 80.2% for QFT-GIT and 91.0% for T.SPOT.TB. The sensitivities of QFT-GIT and T-SPOT.TB according to age group were as follows: <29 years, 93.3% and 96.7%; 30-49 years, 86.5% and 94.7%; 50-69 years, 76.8% and 87.5%; and >70 years, 68.3% and 85.7%, respectively. The trend of age-related changes in sensitivity was significant for both QFT-GIT (p = 0.004) and T.SPOT.TB (p = 0.039). However, only QFT-GIT was significantly related to age in the multivariate analysis. QFT-GIT, but not T-SPOT.TB, was significantly affected by patient age.
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Won
W
Bae
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
Kyoung Un
KU
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Eun Young
EY
Song
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Se Joong
SJ
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Yeon Joo
YJ
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Jong Sun
JS
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Young-Jae
YJ
Cho
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Ho Il
HI
Yoon
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Joon
JJ
Yim
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Choon-Taek
CT
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Jae Ho
JH
Lee
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis