Tuberculin test conversion in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis receiving biological therapy

Amelia GRANEL, Gustavo CITERA, Osvaldo Luis CERDA, María de los Angeles CORREA, Ana Ines MARCOS, Claudia GIRALDO, Oscar RILLO, Emilce Edith SCHNEEBERGER

Abstract

Objective: The blockade of inflammatory mediators produced by biological therapies is associat-ed with an increased risk of opportunistic infections, as for example Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MT). Given the endemic situation of tuberculosis (TB) in some countries and immunosuppres-sion/anergy of patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis, we wonder whether it is necessaryto monitor the MT infection after starting the biological treatment. To evaluate the frequency ofthe tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion and its association with an active TB infection and otherdisease variables.Methods: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and spondyloar-thritis (SpA) receiving treatment with anti-TNF, tocilizumab, and/or abatacept agents were includedinto the study. Patients had to have a negative TST (