Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28545136›Full record

ArticlePloS one2017

Assessment of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in United States Navy recruits.

Jason M Lempp, Margan J Zajdowicz, Arlene L Hankinson, Sean R Toney, Lisa W Keep, James D Mancuso, Gerald H Mazurek

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 20% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) · 2019
    Article
  5. Article
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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Jason M LemppDivision of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Margan J ZajdowiczNaval Hospital Great Lakes, Medical Corps, United States Navy, Great Lakes, Illinois, United States of America.
Arlene L HankinsonNaval Hospital Great Lakes, Medical Corps, United States Navy, Great Lakes, Illinois, United States of America.
Sean R ToneyDivision of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Lisa W KeepDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Medical Corps, United States Army, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
James D MancusoDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Medical Corps, United States Army, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
Gerald H MazurekDivision of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6142-1587
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · USGreat Lakes Science Center · USUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImmunologic tests such as the tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) are designed to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, both latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and infection manifesting as active tuberculosis disease (TB). These tests need high specificity to minimize unnecessary treatment and high sensitivity to allow maximum detection and prevention of TB.

methodsEstimate QFT-GIT specificity, compare QFT-GIT and TST results, and assess factor associations with test discordance among U.S. Navy recruits.

resultsAmong 792 subjects with completed TST and QFT-GIT, 42(5.3%) had TST indurations ≥10mm, 23(2.9%) had indurations ≥15mm, 14(1.8%) had positive QFT-GIT results, and 5(0.6%) had indeterminate QFT-GITs. Of 787 subjects with completed TST and determinate QFT-GIT, 510(64.8%) were at low-risk for infection, 277(35.2%) were at increased risk, and none had TB. Among 510 subjects at low-risk (presumed not infected), estimated TST specificity using a 15mm cutoff, 99.0% (95%CI: 98.2-99.9%), and QFT-GIT specificity, 98.8% (95%CI: 97.9-99.8%), were not significantly different (p>0.99). Most discordance was among recruits at increased risk of infection, and most was TST-positive but QFT-GIT-negative discordance. Of 18 recruits with TST ≥15mm but QFT-GIT negative discordance, 14(78%) were at increased risk. TB prevalence in country of birth was the strongest predictor of positive TST results, positive QFT-GIT results, and TST-positive but QFT-GIT-negative discordance. Reactivity to M. avium purified protein derivative (PPD) was associated with positive TST results and with TST-positive but QFT-GIT-negative discordance using a 10 mm cutoff, but not using a 15 mm cutoff or with QFT-GIT results.

conclusionsM. tuberculosis infection prevalence was low, with the vast majority of infection occurring in recruits with recognizable risks. QFT-GIT and TST specificities were high and not significantly different. Negative QFT-GIT results among subjects with TST induration ≥15 mm who were born in countries with high TB prevalence, raise concerns.

Indexed as

HumansInterferon-gamma Release TestsMaleMilitary PersonnelMycobacterium tuberculosisResidence CharacteristicsSensitivity and SpecificityTuberculin TestTuberculosisUnited States

Identifiers

PMID28545136
PMCPMC5435309
OpenAlexW2616057134

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC0
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.