Table 5. Characteristics of patients with active TB diseases during the follow-up period (218–675 days).

Patients	Sex/age	Diagnosis	ContactHistory	BCG scar	TST (mm)	Chest X-ray	IGRA changes between initial and follow-up tests		TNF	Clinical manifestations
							QFT-GIT	T-SPOT.TB
1	F/51	RA	No	Yes	7	Fibrotic Nodules a	N → P	P → NT	I→E	TB pleurisy diagnosed using BAL Fluid PCR at day 218.
2	M/41	AS	No	Yes	6	N	P → P	N → P	E→I	TB peritonitis diagnosed using AFB stain and culture at day 653.
3	M/33	AS	No	Yes	10	N	N → NT	N → NT	I→E	Probable primary TB with mediastinal lymphadenitis on the chest CT at day 631.
4	F/62	RA	No	Yes	0	COPD	N → NT	N → NT	A	TB pleurisy diagnosed at day 675 from outside hospital.

TB, tuberculosis; BCG, Bacillus Calmette Guérin; TST, tuberculin skin test; IGRA, interferon-gamma release assays; QFT-GIT, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; CD, Crohn’s disease; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; AS, ankylosing spondylitis; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; N, negative; P, positive; NT, not tested; I, infliximab; E, etanercept; A, adalimumab; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; AFB, acid-fast bacilli.

^aRetrospective review of initial chest radiography revealed several tiny fibrotic nodules in the right upper lobe. This finding was not recognized as an indication for LTBI treatment by the attending physician at the time of patient enrollment.