ABSTRACT
Rheumatic diseases, a typical kind of autoimmune disease, are often treated with glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, biological agents, and small-molecule targeted drugs, which often leads to immune dysfunction in patients and increases the risk of activation of latent tuberculosis infection. To regulate the screening, diagnosis, and prophylactic treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with rheumatic diseases, reduce the risk of developing active tuberculosis and improve the prognosis, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Third People′s Hospital and Peking Union Medical College Hospital jointly organized domestic experts in the field of rheumatology and tuberculosis to establish the expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with rheumatic diseases. This consensus focuses on epidemiology, the importance of screening, screening methods, and prophylactic anti-tuberculosis treatment strategies for latent tuberculosis infection combined with rheumatic diseases.