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Assessment of latent tuberculosis infection in Takayasu arteritis with tuberculin skin test and Quantiferon-TB Gold test

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Abstract

A possible relationship between Takayasu arteritis (TA) and tuberculosis (TB) has been suggested. An increased frequency of tuberculin skin test (TST) was observed in TA patients. Quantiferon-TB Gold test (QFT) is a new in vitro assay measuring interferon-gamma response to M. tuberculosis antigens and helpful in diagnosing latent TB infection. The aim of this study was to investigate latent TB infection among TA patients by the use of both TST and QFT Gold test. Ninety-four (male/female: 7/87) TA patients fulfilling ACR 1990 TA criteria from three different university hospitals in Turkey and 107 control subjects without inflammatory diseases were included in the study. Data about medical history (TA and TB) were collected for both groups. TST and QFT were performed. TST values ≥5 mm for TA patients and ≥15 mm for controls was accepted as TST positivity. Even though TA group was older (40 ± 12 vs. 32 ± 8, P < 0.001), there was no significant difference between TA patients and controls regarding demographic characteristics. Six TA patients and one control had a history of previous TB infection (P = 0.054). Although TST positivity was higher in TA group [55 patients (62.5%) vs. 24 controls (41.4%), P = 0.008], QFT positivity was similar between two groups [21 patients (22.3%) vs. 24 controls (22.4%), P > 0.05]. QFT was negative in two of six TA patients with previous TB history. Rate of latent TB infection in TA patients measured with QFT is no more than controls. QFT seems to be a good and favorable test compared with TST in detecting LTBI in TA.

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Acknowledgments

We thank MicroELISA Unit of Clinical Pathology Laboratory Staff of Hacettepe University Hospitals for the laboratory support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Unit of Rheumatology, Hacettepe University, İncesu Caddesi No: 72/2, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey

    Omer Karadag

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Unit of Rheumatology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

    Kenan Aksu, Figen Yargucu Zihni, Pinar Talu Ocakci, Gokhan Keser & Vedat Inal

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Unit of Rheumatology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Abdurrahman Sahin, Umut Kalyoncu, Sule Apras Bilgen, Meral Calguneri, Ihsan Ertenli & Sedat Kiraz

  4. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Burcin Sener

  5. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Unit of Rheumatology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Nevsun Inanc, Sibel Zehra Aydin & Haner Direskeneli

  6. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Unit of Infectious Disease, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Sibel Ascioglu

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  1. Omer Karadag
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  2. Kenan Aksu
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  15. Meral Calguneri
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  16. Ihsan Ertenli
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  17. Sedat Kiraz
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Correspondence to Omer Karadag.

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Karadag, O., Aksu, K., Sahin, A. et al. Assessment of latent tuberculosis infection in Takayasu arteritis with tuberculin skin test and Quantiferon-TB Gold test. Rheumatol Int 30, 1483–1487 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1444-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1444-z

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