Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection

Erika Bélard; Synne Semb; Morten Ruhwald; Anne Marie Werlinrud; Bolette Soborg; Frank Krieger Jensen; Henrik Thomsen; Annette Brylov; Merete Lund Hetland; Inge Nordgaard-Lassen; Pernille Ravn; Henrik Segelcke Thomsen; Merete Lund Hetland

doi:10.1002/ibd.21605

Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection

Erika Bélard, Synne Semb, Morten Ruhwald, Anne Marie Werlinrud, Bolette Soborg, Frank Krieger Jensen, Henrik Thomsen, Annette Brylov, Merete Lund Hetland, Inge Nordgaard-Lassen, Pernille Ravn, Henrik Segelcke Thomsen, Merete Lund Hetland

98 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: During screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), before anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α treatment, most patients are already receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) and the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). Methods: A prospective multicenter study included 248 patients with ulcerative colitis (39), Crohn's disease (54), rheumatoid arthritis (111), and spondylo-arthropathy (44). Results: QFT-IT was positive in 7/248 (3%), negative in 229 (92%), and indeterminate in 12 (5%). TST was positive in 54/238 (23%) patients. Chest x-ray was suspect for tuberculosis in 5/236 (2%), and 35/167 (21%) had ≥1 risk-factors for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The main finding was a pronounced negative effect on QFT-IT and TST performance associated with prednisolone treatment. During prednisolone treatment interferon gamma (IFN-γ) response to mitogen stimulation was impaired (median IFN-γ response 4.9 IU/mL; interquartile range [IQR] 0.8 to ≥10.0) compared to patients 1) not receiving corticosteroids (median ≥10.0; IQR 5.0 to ≥10.0; P = 0.0015) or 2) receiving long-acting corticosteroids (median >10.0; IQR 9.7 to >10.0; P = 0.0058). Prednisolone treatment was strongly associated with negative TST, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.22 (0.1-0.8; P = 0.018), and with an increased risk of indeterminate QFT-IT results AOR 16.1 (4.1-63.2; P < 0.001), whereas no negative effect was found for long-acting corticosteroids. Doses of ≥10 mg prednisolone were associated with a 27% risk of indeterminate results. Single use of azathioprine, methotrexate, or 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) did not affect the test results. Conclusions: Oral prednisolone severely suppressed QFT-IT and TST performance, whereas the long-acting corticosteroids methotrexate, azathioprine, and 5-ASA did not have a similar detrimental effect. Patients should be screened for LTBI with QFT-IT or TST prior to initiation of prednisolone therapy and negative QFT-IT or TST results interpreted with caution in patients treated with any corticosteroid until further data are available.

Original language	English
Journal	Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume	17
Issue number	11
Pages (from-to)	2340-2349
ISSN	1078-0998
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ibd.21605
Publication status	Published - Nov 2011

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Bélard, E., Semb, S., Ruhwald, M., Werlinrud, A. M., Soborg, B., Jensen, F. K., Thomsen, H., Brylov, A., Hetland, M. L., Nordgaard-Lassen, I., Ravn, P., Thomsen, H. S., & Hetland, M. L. (2011). Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 17(11), 2340-2349. https://doi.org/10.1002/ibd.21605

Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection. / Bélard, Erika; Semb, Synne; Ruhwald, Morten et al.
In: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Vol. 17, No. 11, 11.2011, p. 2340-2349.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Bélard, E, Semb, S, Ruhwald, M, Werlinrud, AM, Soborg, B, Jensen, FK, Thomsen, H, Brylov, A, Hetland, ML, Nordgaard-Lassen, I, Ravn, P , Thomsen, HS & Hetland, ML 2011, 'Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection', Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 2340-2349. https://doi.org/10.1002/ibd.21605

@article{4dd06cc085b94544a1fcd8a1e014ea92,

title = "Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection",

abstract = "Background: During screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), before anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α treatment, most patients are already receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) and the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). Methods: A prospective multicenter study included 248 patients with ulcerative colitis (39), Crohn's disease (54), rheumatoid arthritis (111), and spondylo-arthropathy (44). Results: QFT-IT was positive in 7/248 (3%), negative in 229 (92%), and indeterminate in 12 (5%). TST was positive in 54/238 (23%) patients. Chest x-ray was suspect for tuberculosis in 5/236 (2%), and 35/167 (21%) had ≥1 risk-factors for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The main finding was a pronounced negative effect on QFT-IT and TST performance associated with prednisolone treatment. During prednisolone treatment interferon gamma (IFN-γ) response to mitogen stimulation was impaired (median IFN-γ response 4.9 IU/mL; interquartile range [IQR] 0.8 to ≥10.0) compared to patients 1) not receiving corticosteroids (median ≥10.0; IQR 5.0 to ≥10.0; P = 0.0015) or 2) receiving long-acting corticosteroids (median >10.0; IQR 9.7 to >10.0; P = 0.0058). Prednisolone treatment was strongly associated with negative TST, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.22 (0.1-0.8; P = 0.018), and with an increased risk of indeterminate QFT-IT results AOR 16.1 (4.1-63.2; P < 0.001), whereas no negative effect was found for long-acting corticosteroids. Doses of ≥10 mg prednisolone were associated with a 27% risk of indeterminate results. Single use of azathioprine, methotrexate, or 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) did not affect the test results. Conclusions: Oral prednisolone severely suppressed QFT-IT and TST performance, whereas the long-acting corticosteroids methotrexate, azathioprine, and 5-ASA did not have a similar detrimental effect. Patients should be screened for LTBI with QFT-IT or TST prior to initiation of prednisolone therapy and negative QFT-IT or TST results interpreted with caution in patients treated with any corticosteroid until further data are available.",

author = "Erika B{\'e}lard and Synne Semb and Morten Ruhwald and Werlinrud, {Anne Marie} and Bolette Soborg and Jensen, {Frank Krieger} and Henrik Thomsen and Annette Brylov and Hetland, {Merete Lund} and Inge Nordgaard-Lassen and Pernille Ravn and Thomsen, {Henrik Segelcke} and Hetland, {Merete Lund}",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2011 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.",

year = "2011",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1002/ibd.21605",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "2340--2349",

journal = "Inflammatory Bowel Diseases",

issn = "1078-0998",

publisher = "Lippincott Williams & Wilkins",

number = "11",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection

AU - Bélard, Erika

AU - Semb, Synne

AU - Ruhwald, Morten

AU - Werlinrud, Anne Marie

AU - Soborg, Bolette

AU - Jensen, Frank Krieger

AU - Thomsen, Henrik

AU - Brylov, Annette

AU - Hetland, Merete Lund

AU - Nordgaard-Lassen, Inge

AU - Ravn, Pernille

AU - Thomsen, Henrik Segelcke

AU - Hetland, Merete Lund

PY - 2011/11

Y1 - 2011/11

N2 - Background: During screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), before anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α treatment, most patients are already receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) and the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). Methods: A prospective multicenter study included 248 patients with ulcerative colitis (39), Crohn's disease (54), rheumatoid arthritis (111), and spondylo-arthropathy (44). Results: QFT-IT was positive in 7/248 (3%), negative in 229 (92%), and indeterminate in 12 (5%). TST was positive in 54/238 (23%) patients. Chest x-ray was suspect for tuberculosis in 5/236 (2%), and 35/167 (21%) had ≥1 risk-factors for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The main finding was a pronounced negative effect on QFT-IT and TST performance associated with prednisolone treatment. During prednisolone treatment interferon gamma (IFN-γ) response to mitogen stimulation was impaired (median IFN-γ response 4.9 IU/mL; interquartile range [IQR] 0.8 to ≥10.0) compared to patients 1) not receiving corticosteroids (median ≥10.0; IQR 5.0 to ≥10.0; P = 0.0015) or 2) receiving long-acting corticosteroids (median >10.0; IQR 9.7 to >10.0; P = 0.0058). Prednisolone treatment was strongly associated with negative TST, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.22 (0.1-0.8; P = 0.018), and with an increased risk of indeterminate QFT-IT results AOR 16.1 (4.1-63.2; P < 0.001), whereas no negative effect was found for long-acting corticosteroids. Doses of ≥10 mg prednisolone were associated with a 27% risk of indeterminate results. Single use of azathioprine, methotrexate, or 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) did not affect the test results. Conclusions: Oral prednisolone severely suppressed QFT-IT and TST performance, whereas the long-acting corticosteroids methotrexate, azathioprine, and 5-ASA did not have a similar detrimental effect. Patients should be screened for LTBI with QFT-IT or TST prior to initiation of prednisolone therapy and negative QFT-IT or TST results interpreted with caution in patients treated with any corticosteroid until further data are available.

AB - Background: During screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), before anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α treatment, most patients are already receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) and the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). Methods: A prospective multicenter study included 248 patients with ulcerative colitis (39), Crohn's disease (54), rheumatoid arthritis (111), and spondylo-arthropathy (44). Results: QFT-IT was positive in 7/248 (3%), negative in 229 (92%), and indeterminate in 12 (5%). TST was positive in 54/238 (23%) patients. Chest x-ray was suspect for tuberculosis in 5/236 (2%), and 35/167 (21%) had ≥1 risk-factors for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The main finding was a pronounced negative effect on QFT-IT and TST performance associated with prednisolone treatment. During prednisolone treatment interferon gamma (IFN-γ) response to mitogen stimulation was impaired (median IFN-γ response 4.9 IU/mL; interquartile range [IQR] 0.8 to ≥10.0) compared to patients 1) not receiving corticosteroids (median ≥10.0; IQR 5.0 to ≥10.0; P = 0.0015) or 2) receiving long-acting corticosteroids (median >10.0; IQR 9.7 to >10.0; P = 0.0058). Prednisolone treatment was strongly associated with negative TST, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.22 (0.1-0.8; P = 0.018), and with an increased risk of indeterminate QFT-IT results AOR 16.1 (4.1-63.2; P < 0.001), whereas no negative effect was found for long-acting corticosteroids. Doses of ≥10 mg prednisolone were associated with a 27% risk of indeterminate results. Single use of azathioprine, methotrexate, or 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) did not affect the test results. Conclusions: Oral prednisolone severely suppressed QFT-IT and TST performance, whereas the long-acting corticosteroids methotrexate, azathioprine, and 5-ASA did not have a similar detrimental effect. Patients should be screened for LTBI with QFT-IT or TST prior to initiation of prednisolone therapy and negative QFT-IT or TST results interpreted with caution in patients treated with any corticosteroid until further data are available.

U2 - 10.1002/ibd.21605

DO - 10.1002/ibd.21605

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21319275

SN - 1078-0998

VL - 17

SP - 2340

EP - 2349

JO - Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

JF - Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

IS - 11

ER -

Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection

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