Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious disease in dialysis patients with profound alterations in immune response. The risk of TB among dialysis patients is important but remains unclear. This study aimed to determine various factors associated with latent TB infection (LTBI) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) in Korea.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South Korea. HD patients were tested with interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) and filled out a questionnaire for LTBI association factor assessment and analysis. The variables (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, previous contact with a person with active TB, dialysis duration, and hemoglobin and albumin levels) were included in a logistic regression model.
Results: Of the 82 participants enrolled, 45 (54.9%) in the dialysis group were IGRA-positive. Independent predictors of LTBI in patients undergoing HD were age (50-59 years), smoking habit, history of contact with an active TB case, and duration of HD (≥60 months) using multivariate logistic regression.
Conclusion: The prevalence of positive IGRA was >50% among HD patients in a tertiary care hospital in South Korea. Therefore, routine screening tests for LTBI with IGRA in HD in Korea are recommended, especially for patients aged 50-59 years, those who smoke, and those with a history of contact with an active tuberculosis case and long duration of HD (>60 months).

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Infection, Hemodialysis, Interferon-gamma release assay, Prevalence