POSITION PAPER ON TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE MEDIATED INFLAMMATORY DISEASES CANDIDATES FOR BIOLOGICAL THERAPY

  • Raquel Duarte On behalf of Portuguese Society of Pulmonology, Centro de Referencia de Tuberculose Multi-resistente da Região Norte, Serviço de Pneumologia/Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Departamento de Epidemiologia Clínica/ Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Medicina Preventiva e Saúde Pública; Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto
  • Sérgio Campainha On behalf of Portuguese Society of Pulmonology, Centro de Referencia de Tuberculose Multi-resistente da Região Norte, Serviço de Pneumologia/Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho
  • José Cotter Portuguese Society of Gastroenterology, Serviço de Gastrenterologia/Gastroenterology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave – Guimarães
  • Bruno Rosa Portuguese Society of Gastroenterology, Serviço de Gastrenterologia/Gastroenterology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave – Guimarães
  • Paulo Varela Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology; Serviço de Dermatologia e Venereologia/Dermatology and Venereology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho
  • Ana Maria Correia On behalf of Portuguese Society of Pulmonology; Departamento de Saúde Pública/Public Health Department; Administração Regional de Saúde do Norte
  • Helena Canhão Portuguese Society of Rheumatology; Serviço de Reumatologia/Rheumatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria; Unidade de Investigação em Reumatologia/Rheumatology Research Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular; Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
  • João Eurico Fonseca Portuguese Society of Rheumatology; Serviço de Reumatologia/Rheumatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria; Unidade de Investigação em Reumatologia/Rheumatology Research Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular; Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.70.4.97

Abstract

Chronic immunosuppression is a known risk factor for tuberculosis. Our aim was to reach a consensus on screening and prevention of tuberculosis in patients with immune mediated inflammatory diseases candidates to biolo- gic therapy. Methods: Critical appraisal of the literature and expert opinion on immunosuppressive therapies and risk of tuberculosis. Results and Conclusion: The currently recommended method for screening is the tuberculin skin test and the interferon gamma assay, after exclusion of active tuberculosis. Positively screened patients should be treated for la- tent tuberculosis infection. Patients may start biological therapy after 1 to 2 months, as long as they are strictly adhering to and tolerating their preventive regimen. 

KEYWORDS – Latent tuberculosis; Immunologic factors; Biological therapy; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Immunosup- pressive agents; Immune system diseases. 


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Published
2013-04-20
How to Cite
Duarte, R., Campainha, S., Cotter, J., Rosa, B., Varela, P., Correia, A. M., Canhão, H., & Fonseca, J. E. (2013). POSITION PAPER ON TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE MEDIATED INFLAMMATORY DISEASES CANDIDATES FOR BIOLOGICAL THERAPY. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology, 70(4), 435-448. https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.70.4.97
Issue
Vol 70 No 4 (2012): Outubro-Dezembro
Section
Opinion Article

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