SynthesisAnnals of the American Thoracic Society2014
Reproducibility of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release Assays. A systematic review.
Synthesis in Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Factors associated with false negative interferon-γ release assay results in patients with tuberculosis: A systematic review with meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2020Pooled it
- Use of T Cell Mediated Immune Functional Assays for Adjustment of Immunosuppressive or Anti-infective Agents in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in immunology · 2020Pooled it
- Effectiveness of control measures to prevent occupational tuberculosis infection in health care workers: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2018Pooled it
- Timing of maternal isoniazid preventive therapy on tuberculosis infection among infants exposed to HIV in low-income and middle-income settings: a secondary analysis of the TB APPRISE trial.The Lancet. Child & adolescent health · 2023Trial
- Demographic and clinical correlates of discordant QuantiFERON TB Gold tuberculosis screening results in a low-incidence setting.Microbiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Characterization of QuantiFERON-TB-Plus Results in Patients with Tuberculosis Infection and Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology international · 2025Article
- Brazilian guidelines for the management of tuberculosis infection in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: is retesting in latent tuberculosis screening appropriate and Safe?Advances in rheumatology (London, England) · 2025Article
- Preliminary evaluation of a new prototype interferon-gamma release assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T-cell responses in patients with tuberculosis.Folia microbiologica · 2025Article
- Article
- Accuracy of QuantiFERON in active tuberculosis suspects with comorbidities and nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in Northern California.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2023Article
- Bridging the gaps to overcome major hurdles in the development of next-generation tuberculosis vaccines.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Review
- Alternative biomarkers of tuberculosis infection in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.Frontiers in medicine · 2023Article
- Reversions of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus in tuberculosis contact investigation: A prospective multicentre cohort study.PloS one · 2023Article
- Interferon-γ release assay screening in biologics: safe and reliable, but not perfect.ERJ open research · 2022Article
- Biomarkers to identifyThe European respiratory journal · 2022Article
- Variability of interferon-γ release assays in people at high risk of tuberculosis infection or progression to tuberculosis disease living in the United States.Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases · 2022Article
- Lessons Learned from Implementation of an Interferon Gamma Release Assay to Screen for Latent Tuberculosis Infection in a Large Multicenter Observational Cohort Study in Brazil.Microbiology spectrum · 2021Observational
- The Impact of Borderline Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus Results for Latent Tuberculosis Screening under Routine Conditions in a Low-Endemicity Setting.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2021Article
- Frequency of Positive Conversion of Interferon-Gamma Release Assay Results Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treated With Non-tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors.Frontiers in medicine · 2021Article
- High reproducibility of the interferon-gamma release assay T-SPOT.TB in serial testing.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleInterferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assays for latent tuberculosis infection result in a larger-than-expected number of conversions and reversions in occupational screening programs, and reproducibility of test results is a concern.
objectivesKnowledge of the relative contribution and extent of the individual sources of variability (immunological, preanalytical, or analytical) could help optimize testing protocols.
methodsWe performed a systematic review of studies published by October 2013 on all potential sources of variability of commercial IFN-γ release assays (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube and T-SPOT.TB). The included studies assessed test variability under identical conditions and under different conditions (the latter both overall and stratified by individual sources of variability). Linear mixed effects models were used to estimate within-subject SD. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
resultsWe identified a total of 26 articles, including 7 studies analyzing variability under the same conditions, 10 studies analyzing variability with repeat testing over time under different conditions, and 19 studies reporting individual sources of variability. Most data were on QuantiFERON (only three studies on T-SPOT.TB). A considerable number of conversions and reversions were seen around the manufacturer-recommended cut-point. The estimated range of variability of IFN-γ response in QuantiFERON under identical conditions was ±0.47 IU/ml (coefficient of variation, 13%) and ±0.26 IU/ml (30%) for individuals with an initial IFN-γ response in the borderline range (0.25-0.80 IU/ml). The estimated range of variability in noncontrolled settings was substantially larger (±1.4 IU/ml; 60%). Blood volume inoculated into QuantiFERON tubes and preanalytic delay were identified as key sources of variability.
conclusionsThis systematic review shows substantial variability with repeat IFN-γ release assays testing even under identical conditions, suggesting that reversions and conversions around the existing cut-point should be interpreted with caution.
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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.