ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of the T-SPOT.TB test for diagnosing tuberculous meningitis(TBM) by meta-analysis.Methods A systematic retrieval from the databases of PubMed,EMBASE,etc.was performed.The literature on the T-SPOT.TB test for diagnosing TBM was collected.Two reviewers independently screened the literature,extracted the data and judged the quality.The meta analysis was conducted by the Meta-Disc 1.4 software.Results 8 articles were included,involving 425 patients including 232 cases of TBM.In the peripheral blood group,the combined sensitivity was 80%(95%CI:0.74-0.85),the combined specificity was 74%(95%CI:0.67-0.80),the area under the curve(AUC)of summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC)was 0.858 7;the diagnostic odds ratio(DOR)was 15.50.In the CSF group,the combined sensitivity was 76%(95%CI:0.70-0.82),the combined specificity was 83%(95%CI:0.77-0.88),AUC was 0.892 7;DOR was 22.62.Conclusion Adopting the T-SPOT.TB test conduces to increase the diagnostic rate of TBM.The diagnostic accuracy of the T-SPOT.TB test for CSF may be higher than that for peripheral blood.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the short-term effect and safety of entecavir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus carriers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-three cases of CHB virus infection (hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive, hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)-positive, HBV DNA≥1x10(5) copies/mL) were divided into two groups: CHB virus carrier (47 cases) and CHB (46 cases). All of the 93 cases were given 0.5 mg entecavir orally once a day for 48 weeks. Virology, serology and biochemistry tests were perrmed at treatment weeks 0, 4, 12, 24 and 48. Side effects of entecavir and the incidence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CHB virus carrier and CHB group had complete virological response rates of 14.9% and 17.4% at week 4, 51.1% and 63.0% at week 12, 76.6% and 89.1% at week 24, and 97.9% and 100% at week 48, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The CHB virus carrier and CHB group had partial virological response rates of 42.6% and 47.8% at week 4, 57.44% and 65.2% at week 12, 85.0% and 89.1% at week 24, and 100% and 100% at week 48, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). No cases in either group experienced virologic breakthrough during the treatment course. The CHB virus carrier and CHB group had serological response (HBeAg-negative) rates of 0 and 4.3% at week 4, 2.1% and 8.7% at week 12, 4.3% and 13.0% at week 24, and 8.5% and 21.7% at week 48, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The CHB virus carrier and CHB group had HBeAg seroconversion rates of 0 and 0 at week 4, 0 and 4.4% at week 12, 2.1% and 10.9% at week 24, and 6.4% and 17.4% at week 48, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). No case in either group showed HBsAg-negativity and seroconversion during the treatment course. The CHB group had a biochemical response (alanine aminotransferase normalization) rate of 26.1% at week 4, 65.2% at week 12, 91.3% at week 24, and 97.8% at week 48.No case in either group showed biochemical breakthrough during the treatment course. There were no cases of liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma in either group. There were no side effects of the entecavir treatment experienced in either group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Antiviral therapy with entecavir is effective, safe and well tolerated in CHB virus carriers.</p>