Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25734154›Full record

ArticleOpen forum infectious diseases2014

High Proportion of Indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Results in an Inpatient Population Is Related to Host Factors and Preanalytical Steps.

Valeria Fabre, Shmuel Shoham, Kathleen R Page, Maunank Shah

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Open forum infectious diseases, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 33% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Valeria FabreDivision of Infectious Diseases , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland.
Shmuel ShohamDivision of Infectious Diseases , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland.
Kathleen R PageDivision of Infectious Diseases , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland.
Maunank ShahDivision of Infectious Diseases , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland.
Johns Hopkins Medicine · US

Funding

RESEARCH TRAINING IN MICROBIAL DISEASEST32AI007291 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI JOEL N BLANKSON, Sara Elizabeth Cosgrove · 1986 to 2026
$9.1M
Implementation Science Approaches for Novel TB Diagnostics in HIV Prevalent AreasK23AI089259 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI SHAH, MAUNANK · 2011 to 2015
$681k
NIAID NIH HHS K23 AI089259NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007291
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) can be used as an alternative to tuberculin skin testing (TST) for the targeted testing of latent tuberculosis. Due to many shortcomings with TST, QFT-GIT usage is increasing. QFT-GIT implementation in the inpatient setting remains unclear.

methodsWe retrospectively identified patients admitted to a tertiary care academic center who received either a TST or a QFT-GIT in the 18 months prior to and after QFT-GIT implementation in March 2012. Risk factors associated with indeterminate results were evaluated.

resultsThe proportion of inpatients receiving a test for tuberculosis infection doubled following QFT-GIT implementation (1.4% vs 2.9%). After QFT-GIT became available, 75% of tested people received a QFT-GIT and 25% received a TST. We found indeterminate test results in 19.8%. Independent predictors of indeterminate results were female sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.64), lymphopenia (AOR, 2.21), hypoalbuminemia (AOR, 6.81) and sample collection by nonphlebotomists (AOR, 3.0, vs phlebotomists). Of patients who had indeterminate results, 42% had a subsequent indeterminate result on repeat testing. All indeterminate results were due to a low mitogen response.

conclusionsQFT-GIT testing in the inpatient setting is associated with a high proportion of indeterminate results that is associated with host factors and preanalytical errors. Careful selection of patients to be tested and training on sample processing for QFT-GIT testing should be considered to decrease indeterminate results.

Indexed as

IGRATB diagnosticsTB screening

Identifiers

PMID25734154
PMCPMC4281799
OpenAlexW2098191863

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.