Table 1 Responses to the survey questions in the three groups
From: Perspectives of Quantiferon TB Gold test among Indian practitioners: a survey
| Â | Question | Answer | Ophthalmology N(%) | Pulmonology N(%) | Rheumatology N(%) | Total N(%) | Pearson chi-square test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Do you see active TB routinely in your practice | Frequently | 5 (26.3) | 9 (100) | 1 (11.1) | 15 (40.5) | 0.001 |
Rarely | 14 (73.7) | 0 | 8 (88.9) | 22 (59.5) | |||
2 | Do you see latent TB routinely in your practice | Frequently | 18 (94.7) | 5 (55.6) | 7 (77.8) | 30 (81.1) | Â |
Rarely | 1 (5.3) | 4 (44.4) | 2 (22.2) | 7 (18.9) | |||
3 | Does your center do the Quantiferon TB Gold test in your own laboratory | No | 14 (73.7) | 9 (100) | 7 (77.8) | 30 (81.1) | Â |
Yes | 5 (26.3) | 0 (0) | 2 (22.2) | 7 (18.9) | |||
4 | If your center does not do this test, is the test readily accessible to you | No | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (22.2) | 2 (5.4) | Â |
Yes | 19 (100) | 9 (100) | 7 (77.8) | 35 (94.6) | |||
5 | Do you send the blood sample for this test to a laboratory outside your city | No | 13 (68.4) | 7 (77.8) | 6 (66.7) | 26 (70.3) | Â |
Not sure | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (5.4) | |||
Yes | 5 (26.3) | 2 (22.2) | 2 (22.2) | 9 (24.3) | |||
6 | What is the approximate cost of the test to your patient | Above Rs. 2,000/− | 12 (63.2) | 6 (66.7) | 6 (66.7) | 24 (64.9) |  |
Below Rs. 1,000/− | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 0 (0) | 1 (2.7) | |||
Between Rs. 1,000/− and Rs. 2,000/− | 7 (36.8) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (33.3) | 12 (32.4) | |||
7 | Do you do a Mantoux test routinely on all patients with suspected TB | Always | 19 (100) | 1 (11.1) | 3 (33.3) | 23 (62.2) | 0.001 |
Sometimes | 0 (0) | 8 (88.9) | 6 (66.7) | 14 (37.8) | |||
Never | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |||
8 | Do you consider Mantoux test a criterion for starting a patient on ATT in suspected TB | Always | 7 (36.8) | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (21.6) | Â |
Never | 2 (10.5) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (33.3) | 7 (18.9) | |||
Sometimes | 10 (52.6) | 7 (77.8) | 5 (55.6) | 22 (59.5) | |||
9 | Do you use Quantiferon TB Gold test in your practice | Never | 1 (5.3) | 2 (22.2) | 0 (0) | 3 (8.1) | Â |
Routinely | 8 (42.1) | 0 (0) | 4 (44.4) | 12 (32.4) | |||
Sometimes | 10 (52.6) | 7 (77.8) | 5 (55.6) | 22 (59.5) | |||
10 | How often do you get indeterminate as a result in the Quantiferon TB Gold test | Always | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (2.7) | Â |
Never | 5 (26.3) | 3 (33.3) | 0 (0) | 8 (21.6) | |||
Sometimes | 13 (68.4) | 6 (66.7) | 9 (100) | 28 (75.7) | |||
11 | In what categories do you see indeterminate result in the Quantiferon TB Gold test (can tick >1 option) | Age < 18 years | 1 (5.3) | 1 (11.1) | 0 (0) | 2 (5.4) | Â |
Age > 60 years | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 1 (2.7) | |||
Between ages 18 to 60 years | 3 (15.8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (8.1) | |||
Not sure | 15 (78.9) | 8 (88.9) | 8 (88.9) | 31 (83.8) | |||
11 | Do you perform Mantoux test routinely in all patients prior to starting immunosuppressants (not biologics) | Always | 17 (89.5) | 2 (22.2) | 0 (0) | 19 (51.4) | Â |
Never | 2 (10.5) | 3 (33.3) | 5 (55.6) | 10 (27) | |||
Sometimes | 0 (0) | 4 (44.4) | 4 (44.4) | 8 (21.6) | |||
12 | Do you perform Quantiferon TB Gold test routinely in all patients prior to starting immunosuppressants (not biologics) | Always | 3 (15.8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (8.1) | Â |
Never | 6 (31.6) | 6 (66.7) | 5 (55.6) | 17 (45.9) | |||
Sometimes | 10 (52.6) | 3 (33.3) | 4 (44.4) | 17 (45.9) | |||
13 | Your preferred investigation in suspected TB in your subset of patients | Both | 15 (78.9) | 2 (22.2) | 2 (22.2) | 19 (51.4) | Â |
Mantoux test | 3 (15.8) | 3 (33.3) | 3 (33.3) | 9 (24.3) | |||
None | 1 (5.3) | 3 (33.3) | 2 (22.2) | 6 (16.2) | |||
Quantiferon TB Gold test | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (8.1) | |||
14 | Do you treat a patient with suspected TB on the basis of a positive Quantiferon TB Gold test alone | Frequently | 3 (15.8) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (22.2) | 6 (16.2) | Â |
Rarely | 7 (36.8) | 7 (77.8) | 2 (22.2) | 16 (43.2) | |||
Sometimes | 9 (47.4) | 1 (11.1) | 5 (55.6) | 15 (40.5) | |||
15 | Do you treat a patient with suspected TB on the basis of a positive Mantoux test alone | Frequently | 7 (36.8) | 0 (0) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (21.6) | Â |
Rarely | 5 (26.3) | 8 (88.9) | 4 (44.4) | 17 (45.9) | |||
Sometimes | 7 (36.8) | 1 (11.1) | 4 (44.4) | 12 (32.4) | |||
16 | In your experience, how do you rate the results of Quantiferon TB Gold test for suspected TB in India with the results projected by the developed world | Comparable | 10 (52.6) | 2 (22.2) | 2 (22.2) | 14 (37.8) | 0.163 |
Non-comparable | 9 (47.4) | 7 (77.8) | 7 (77.8) | 23 (62.2) | |||
17 | In your opinion, the limitation with Quantiferon TB Gold test is | ||||||