Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (대한결핵및호흡기학회)
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The Diagnostic Value of Interferon-γ Assay in Patients with Active Tuberculosis

활동성 결핵의 진단에서 혈청 인터페론 감마 측정법의 유용성

  • Park, So Young (Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Yong Bum (Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Choi, Jeong Hee (Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Lee, Jae Young (Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Kim, Jae-Seok (Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Mo, Eun Kyung (Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University)
  • 박소영 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 내과학교실 호흡기내과) ;
  • 박용범 (한림대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 호흡기내과) ;
  • 최정희 (한림대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 호흡기내과) ;
  • 이재영 (한림대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 호흡기내과) ;
  • 김재석 (한림대학교 의과대학 진단검사의학과) ;
  • 모은경 (한림대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 호흡기내과)
  • Received : 2008.12.17
  • Accepted : 2009.01.15
  • Published : 2009.01.30
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Abstract

Background: The interferon-gamma assay is reported to have high sensitivity and specificity for making the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection. The clinical usefulness of this essay for detecting active tuberculosis has not fully defined. We evaluated the diagnostic value of the commercial interferon-gamma assay kit (QuantiFERONTB GOLD) for patients with suspected tuberculosis. Methods: From January to August 2007, we recruited 52 patients with suspected tuberculosis infection. We performed chest X-ray, sputum smear, culture, PCR and the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test. Pleural fluid analysis and pleural biopsy were also done for the patients with pleural effusion. Results: Of the 52 patients we studied, 30 patients had a positive QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test result. 35 patients were finally diagnosed with active tuberculosis: twenty-five with a positive QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test and 10 with a negative QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test. The sensitivity of the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test was 71.4% and the specificity was 64.7%. The positive predictive value was 0.83 and the negative predictive value was 0.50. There was no significant difference of any of the clinical and laboratory characteristics between the two groups of patients except the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The CRP level was 29.2${\pm}$27.3 mg/dL in the pulmonary tuberculosis patients with a positive QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test and 72.9${\pm}$67.9 mg/dL in the patients with a negative QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test (p<0.05). Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test were inadequate for making the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. We suggest that the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test should not be used by itself to exclude the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. The relationship of the QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test and the CRP level in patients with TB would be further investigated.

연구배경: Interferon-gamma assay는 잠복 결핵의 진단에서 투베르쿨린 피부 반응 검사를 대신할 수 있는 검사 방법으로 주목 받고 있다. 그러나 활동성 결핵의 진단 시Interferon-gamma assay의 유용성에 대해서는 많은 이견이 있다. 따라서 결핵 발병률이 중등도인 우리 나라에서 Interferon-gamma assay의 임상적 유용성을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법: 2007년 1월부터 2007년 8월까지 강동성심병원 호흡기내과에 내원한 환자 중 활동성 결핵이 의심되는 환자 52명을 대상으로 흉부 방사선 검사, 객담 도말 검사, 객담 배양 검사, PCR 검사, QuantiFERON-TB GOLD test를 시행하였다. 흉막 삼출액이 있는 환자의 경우 흉수 검사 및 흉막 조직 검사를 시행하였다. 결 과: 이번 연구에 포함된 52명의 환자 중 35명이 최종적으로 활동성 폐결핵으로 진단 되었고, 이 중 25명이 QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사 양성, 10명이 Quanti-FERON-TB GOLD 검사 음성 소견을 보였다. 본 연구에서 QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사의 민감도는 71.4%, 특이도는 64.7%였고, 양성 예측도는 0.83, 음성 예측도는 0.50였다. QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사 양성인 군과 음성인 군에서 C 반응성 단백값을 제외하고 두 군간에 큰 차이는 보이지 않았다. C 반응성 단백값은 QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사 양성인 군에서 29.25${\pm}$27.30 mg/L, Quanti-FERON-TB GOLD 검사 음성인 군에서 72.90${\pm}$67.98 mg/L로 QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사 음성인 군에서 통계적으로 유의하게 높게 나타났다(p<0.05). 결 론: 본 연구에서는 QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사는 활동성 폐결핵 진단에 유용성이 크지 않은 것으로 나타났다. QuantiFERON-TB GOLD 검사 결과와 C 반응성 단백값의 상관 관계는 추후 연구가 더 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Keywords

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