ArticleJournal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England)2013
Screening for tuberculosis and the use of a borderline zone for the interpretation of the interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) in Portuguese healthcare workers.
Article in Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England), 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.
- Interferon-gamma release assay levels and risk of progression to active tuberculosis: a systematic review and dose-response meta-regression analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2021Pooled it
- Tuberculosis Infection Screening in 5468 Italian Healthcare Students: Investigation of a Borderline Zone Value for the QFT-Test.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Article
- Imbalances in the German public health system - numbers of state-certified occupational physicians and relation to socioeconomic data.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2016Article
- Occupational accident and disease claims, work-related stress and job satisfaction of physiotherapists.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2014Article
- Tuberculosis screening at the Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris - results of first and second IGRA.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2014Article
- Occupational screening for tuberculosis and the use of a borderline zone for interpretation of the IGRA in German healthcare workers.PloS one · 2014Article
- Transcriptional down-regulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2013Article
- Challenges with QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay for large-scale, routine screening of U.S. healthcare workers.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine · 2013Article
- Expression of VPAC1 in a murine model of allergic asthma.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2013Article
- Serial IGRA testing of trainees in the healthcare sector in a country with low incidence for tuberculosis - a prospective cohort study.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2013Article
- The effect of introducing IGRA to screen French healthcare workers for tuberculosis and potential conclusions for the work organisation.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2013Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
unlabelled
introductionThe effect of using a borderline zone for the interpretation of the interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) on the prediction of progression to active tuberculosis (TB) in healthcare workers (HCW) is analysed.
methodsData from a published study on TB screening in Portuguese HCW is reanalysed using a borderline zone for the interpretation of the IGRA. Testing was performed with the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT). The borderline zone for the QFT was defined as interferon (INF) in QFT ≥0.2 to <0.7 IU/mL. An X-ray was performed when the IGRA was positive (≥0.35 IU/mL) or typical symptoms were present. Sputum analysis was performed according to the X-ray or the presence of typical symptoms.
resultsThe cohort comprised 2,884 HCW with a QFT that could be interpreted. In 1,780 (61.7%) HCW, the QFT was <0.2 IU/mL. A borderline result was found in 341 (11.8%) and a QFT >0.7 IU/mL in 763 (26.3%) HCW. Fifty-seven HCW had a TB in their medical history, eight had a TB at the time of screening and progression to active TB was observed in four HCW. Two out of eight HCW (25%) with active TB at the time of screening had a QFT result falling into the borderline zone. One out of four HCW (25%) who progressed towards active TB after being tested with QFT had QFT results falling into the borderline zone. A second IGRA was performed in 1,199 HCW. In total, 292 (24.4%) HCW had at least one of the two IGRA results pertaining to the borderline zone.
conclusionUsing a borderline zone for the QFT from 0.2 to 0.7 IU/mL should be administered with care, as active TB as well as progression to active TB might be overlooked. Therefore, the borderline zone should be restricted to populations with a low TB risk only.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.