Risk factors for false-negative results of T-SPOT.TB and tuberculin skin test in extrapulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

Our findings suggest that T-SPOT.TB has a better sensitivity to diagnose EPTB than TST, especially in patients with immunosuppression or miliary TB.

Diagnostic utility of interferon-gamma release assay in extrapulmonary tuberculosis

“…In a study of diagnosis of latent TB infection (Kang et al, 2005), TST positivity of non-TB group was 50.5%. But, in a study of EP-TB (Lee et al, 2013), TST positivity of non-TB group was 16.8% and it was similar to our data (12.5%).…”

Risk factors for false-negative T-SPOT.TB assay results in patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB

“…These findings are analogous to those of a previous study using the same T-SPOT.TB test in a Korean EPTB population. 28 However, considering the limited number of patients with immunosuppression in our study, and the widespread decline of T lymphocyte function in immunosuppressed patients in general, we cannot rule out immunosuppression as a factor leading to false-negative results in the T-SPOT.TB test. Further investigations on association between immunosuppression and false-negative T-SPOT.TB results should be conducted.…”

“…Up to date, only one study has found that increased age and steroid use were associated with false-negative T-SPOT.TB results in active TB, 27 while another study found that TB meningitis is associated with false-negative T-SPOT.TB results in EPTB. 28 Considering the limited information available on the risk factors associated with false-negative T-SPOT.TB results, we performed a prospective study to comprehensively explore the potential factors, including clinical characteristics and laboratory findings, which may influence T-SPOT.TB results in both microbiologically/ histopathologically-confirmed pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.…”

Ocular Tuberculosis—A Clinical Conundrum

“…19 The sensitivity of T-SPOT.TB to diagnose extrapulmonary tuberculosis was higher than that of TST in patients with immunosuppression and miliary TB. 20 …”