The importance of IGRA in patients candidates for biological therapy

摘要

We read with great interest the article from Jauregui-Amezaga A. et al. on the risk of developing tuberculosis under anti-TNF treatment despite latent infection screening.1 Given that also in Portugal there is currently a significant concern on this relevant issue, delegates from the Tuberculosis Committee of the Portuguese Pulmonology Society (SPP), the Rheumatoid Arthritis Study Group (GEAR), the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology (SPDV) and the Portuguese Society of Gastroenterology (SPG) have recently published recommendations for a consensus strategy for the screening and prevention of tuberculosis in patients with immune mediated inflammatory diseases who are candidates for biological therapy2 (Fig. 1).