Rastreamento da infecção latente por tuberculose em pacientes com artrite idiopática juvenil previamente à terapia anti‐TNF em um país de alto risco para tuberculose

Objectives

To evaluate, in an endemic country, the long‐term efficacy of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and primary prophylaxis in patients with JIA receiving TNF blockers.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort that included JIA patients eligible to anti‐TNF therapy. Patients were screened for LTBI prior to anti‐TNF using tuberculin skin test (TST), chest X‐ray and history of exposure to TB. Subjects were regularly followed at 2‐month intervals.

Results

Sixty‐nine JIA patients with current age of 17.4 ± 5.8 years, mean disease duration of 5.0 ± 4.9 years were included. Forty‐seven patients received a single anti‐TNF, while 22 patients switched to another anti‐TNF once or twice: 57 were treated with etanercepte, 33 patients with adalimumab and 3 infliximab. LTBI screening was positive in three patients: one had TST‐positive and history of TB exposure and two had solely TST‐positive. No active TB was diagnosed during the study period (median of follow‐up was 3.8 years).

Conclusion

Long‐term evaluation revealed that LTBI screening and primary prophylaxis before anti‐TNF treatment was effective in a high‐risk country and TST was the most sensitive parameter to identify these patients.