title: Poor predictability of QuantiFERON-TB assay in recipients and donors for tuberculosis development after kidney transplantation in an intermediate-TB-burden country.
abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common opportunistic infection after kidney transplantation (KT). The QuantiFERON-TB-Gold In-Tube test (QFT) is widely used for assessing latent TB; however, it is currently unclear whether the pre-KT QFT of the recipient and donor can predict post-KT TB.
  
  
  
  We retrospectively reviewed patients who received KT between January 2009 and December 2015 at Seoul National University Hospital. The QFT was performed in 458 KT recipients and 239 paired living donors, and 138 KT recipients underwent both the QFT and tuberculin skin test (TST). After excluding 12 patients diagnosed as having clinically latent TB, we evaluated whether the QFT of the recipient and donor was predictive for new-onset active TB after KT.
  
  
  
  The QFT was positive in 101 (22.1%) recipients and associated with clinically latent TB before KT (P < 0.05). However, agreement between the TST and QFT was poor (κ = 0.327). Post-KT TB occurred in 1 of 95 recipients with a positive QFT, and 2 cases of TB occurred among 351 patients with a negative or indeterminate QFT. The incidence of TB was 242 cases/100,000 person-years among 446 KT recipients with a median follow-up of 30.2 months. The QFT of recipients could not predict post-KT TB in Poisson regression analysis (relative risk [RR], 1.847; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.168-20.373; P = 0.616). Of 234 living donor-recipient pairs, the QFT of the recipient (RR, 5.012; 95% CI, 0.301-83.430; P = 0.261) and QFT of the donor (RR, 1.758; 95% CI, 0.106-29.274; P = 0.694) could not predict post-KT TB.
  
  
  
  The QFT of recipients or living donors pre-KT cannot predict the short-term development of post-KT TB in an intermediate TB-burden country.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Enkthuya
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jambaldorj
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Miyeun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tai Yeon
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.|Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jongwon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.|Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Curie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea. jcyjs@dreamwiz.com.|Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. jcyjs@dreamwiz.com.|Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jcyjs@dreamwiz.com.
authors.forename: Jaeseok
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5378-7797
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Donor; Kidney transplantation; Recipient; Tuberculosis