The Predictive Value of the ELISpot-Based Interferon-[ggr ]–Release Assay for Tuberculosis Disease
Authors: Anneke C. Hesseling
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2009)

Letters17 March 2009The Predictive Value of the ELISpot-Based Interferon-γ–Release Assay for Tuberculosis DiseaseAnneke C. Hesseling, MD, MSc, Robert P. Gie, MD, and Anna M. Mandalakas, MD, MScAnneke C. Hesseling, MD, MScFrom Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.Search for more papers by this author, Robert P. Gie, MDFrom Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.Search for more papers by this author, and Anna M. Mandalakas, MD, MScFrom Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-150-6-200903170-00023 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Prospective cohort studies are important to investigate the predictive utility of tuberculosis diagnostic tests in at-risk populations. We commend Bakir and colleagues (1) for their efforts to investigate the predictive value of the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot)–based interferon-γ–release assay (IGRA) for pediatric tuberculosis disease. Bakir and colleagues conclude that although ELISpot did not predict disease progression significantly better than the tuberculin skin test (TST) (ELISpot, 20.5 per 1000 person-years [95% CI, 10.2 to 36.7]; TST, 16.6 per 1000 person-years [CI, 8.6 to 29.0]), ELISpot could allow for more focused targeting of isoniazid preventive therapy. A thoughtful review of ...References1. Bakir M, Millington KA, Soysal A, Deeks JJ, Efee S, Aslan Y, et al. Prognostic value of a T-cell–based, interferon-gamma biomarker in children with tuberculosis contact. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149:777-87. [PMID: 18936496] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Marais BJ, Hesseling AC, Gie RP, Schaaf HS, Enarson DA, Beyers N. The bacteriologic yield in children with intrathoracic tuberculosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2006;42:69-71. [PMID: 16575719] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Hesseling AC, Mandalakas AM, Kirchner LH, Chegou NN, Marais BJ, Zhu X, et al. Highly discordant T-cell responses in individuals with recent household tuberculosis exposure. Thorax. 2008. [PMID: 18682523] Google Scholar4. Lalvani A, Bakir M, Millington KA, Dosanjh D, Soysal A. BCG and protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection [Letter]. Lancet. 2006;367:391-2. [PMID: 16458754] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Diel R, Loddenkemper R, Meywald-Walter K, Niemann S, Nienhaus A. Predictive value of a whole blood IFN-gamma assay for the development of active tuberculosis disease after recent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2008;177:1164-70. [PMID: 18276940] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. STARD Statement Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies. Accessed at www.stard-statement.org on 2 February 2009. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPrognostic Value of a T-Cell–Based, Interferon-γ Biomarker in Children with Tuberculosis Contact Mustafa Bakir , Kerry A. Millington , Ahmet Soysal , Jonathan J. Deeks , Serpil Efee , Yasemin Aslan , Davinder P.S. Dosanjh , and Ajit Lalvani The Predictive Value of the ELISpot-Based Interferon-γ–Release Assay for Tuberculosis Disease Ajit Lalvani and Kerry A. Millington Metrics 17 March 2009Volume 150, Issue 6Page: 428-429KeywordsChildrenEpidemiologyForecastingIsoniazidPopulation statisticsPreventive medicineThoraxTuberculinTuberculosis ePublished: 17 March 2009 Issue Published: 17 March 2009 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2009 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...