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Updated: May 9, 2026
11:39
The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis
Published on: July 11, 2013
Dynamic QuantiFERON Response in Psoriasis Patients Taking Long-Term Biologic Therapy
Lorenzo Drago1, Lucia Nicola, Valentina Signori
1Laboratory of Clinical-Chemistry and Microbiology, IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute, Milan, Italy ; Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Dermatology and Therapy
|July 27, 2013
Summary
Biologic therapy for psoriasis may cause false-positive tuberculosis screening results. Repeating QuantiFERON-TB Gold tests (QFT) in patients with low interferon-gamma can prevent unnecessary treatment for latent tuberculosis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Dermatology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Psoriasis patients on biologic therapy face increased tuberculosis risk.
- QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT) screens for latent tuberculosis in this population.
- Biologic drugs and isoniazid therapy may influence QFT results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze repeated QFT assays in psoriasis patients on biologic therapy.
- To investigate the impact of biologic drugs and isoniazid on QFT outcomes.
- To assess QFT assay dynamics over 12 months of treatment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of serial QFTs in 58 psoriasis patients.
- Patients categorized into groups based on QFT results (conversion, reversion, confirmation).
- Evaluation at baseline and after 12 months of biologic therapy.
Main Results:
- 11.1% of QFT-negative patients converted, often with low interferon-gamma (IFN-γ).
- 6.9% of QFT-positive patients reverted.
- QFT conversions reverted to negative after discontinuing isoniazid.
- No active tuberculosis developed in any patient.
Conclusions:
- Positive QFT results in psoriasis patients on biologics require confirmation due to potential false positives.
- Repeating QFT tests, especially with low IFN-γ, can reduce false-positive latent tuberculosis diagnoses.
- Unnecessary tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis can be prevented by dynamic QFT monitoring.
- QFT results can dynamically change in psoriasis patients undergoing biologic therapy.
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