ArticlePloS one2017
A borderline range for Quantiferon Gold In-Tube results.
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 25 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- 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
- Low TB1 and TB2 antigen-nil is associated with increased QuantiFERON Gold Plus reversions.The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease · 2026Article
- Longitudinal dynamics and treatment-associated determinants of interferon-gamma responses in tuberculosis: a 10-year retrospective QuantiFERON-TB Gold study.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Managing tuberculosis infection among migrants from high-incidence tuberculosis countries: challenges, strategies and recommendations.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2026Review
- Article
- Enhancing the interferon-γ release assay through omission of nil and mitogen values.Respiratory research · 2023Article
- Exhaled Mycobacterium tuberculosis Predicts Incident Infection in Household Contacts.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2023Article
- Challenges and the Way forward in Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis Infection.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2023Review
- Reversions of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus in tuberculosis contact investigation: A prospective multicentre cohort study.PloS one · 2023Article
- A protein signature associated with active tuberculosis identified by plasma profiling and network-based analysis.iScience · 2022Article
- The spectrum of tuberculosis described as differential DNA methylation patterns in alveolar macrophages and alveolar T cells.Clinical epigenetics · 2022Article
- 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
- A differential DNA methylome signature of pulmonary immune cells from individuals converting to latent tuberculosis infection.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Retrospective Performance Analyses of over Two Million U.S. QuantiFERON Blood Sample Results.Microbiology spectrum · 2021Article
- Evaluation of a lateral flow assay-based IFN-γ release assay as a point-of-care test for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection.Clinical rheumatology · 2021Article
- Screening forFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021Article
- Role of interferon gamma release assay in the diagnosis and management ofBMJ open ophthalmology · 2021Review
- 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
- A Targeted Screening Program for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients.Open forum infectious diseases · 2020Article
- Tuberculosis preventive treatment should be considered for all household contacts of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in India.PloS one · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveInterferon gamma release assays like Quantiferon Gold In-Tube (QFT) are used to identify individuals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A dichotomous cut-off (0.35 IU/ml) defines a positive QFT without considering test variability. Our objective was to evaluate the introduction of a borderline range under routine conditions.
methodsResults of routine QFT samples from Sweden (2009-2014) were collected. A borderline range (0.20-0.99 IU/ml) was introduced in 2010 recommending a follow-up sample. The association between borderline results and incident active TB within 3 to 24 months was investigated through linkage with the national TB-register.
resultsUsing the recommended QFT cut-off, 75.1% tests were negative, 21.4% positive and 3.5% indeterminate. In total, 9% (3656/40773) were within the borderline range. In follow-up samples, individuals with initial results between 0.20-0.34 IU/ml and 0.35-0.99 IU/ml displayed negative results below the borderline range (<0.20 IU/ml) in 66.1% (230/348) and 42.5% (285/671) respectively, and none developed incident TB. Among 6712 individuals with a positive initial test >0.99 IU/ml, 65 (0.97%) developed incident TB within 3-24 months.
conclusionsWe recommend retesting of subjects with QFT results in the range 0.20-0.99 IU/ml to enhance reliability and validity of the test. Half of the subjects in the borderline range will be negative at a level <0.20 IU/ml when retested and have a very low risk of developing incident active TB.
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