Latent tuberculosis infection screening in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients preceding anti-TNF therapy in a tuberculosis high-risk country.

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.