An update on the management of latent tuberculosis infection and active disease in patients with chronic kidney disease

In 2010, the British Thoracic Society published guidelines on the management of tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in response to physicians’ concerns about the challenges encountered in treating this complex patient group. Later, in 2010, we summarized the main messages from these guidelines for readers of this journal. The purpose of this review is an update on the current management of latent and active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in patients with CKD. Patients with CKD have an increased risk of both infection and disease with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and practice varies between renal units. Since 2010, the majority of published data have focused on screening for TB infection in immunosuppressed patients, including those with CKD and transplant recipients. While there is currently no perfect screening test, the evidence suggests that we should be using the available interferon‑γ release assays, with or without the tuberculin skin test, to try and reduce the undoubted risk of active TB in these patients. While we are not aware of any new evidence to change the recommended treatment regimens, we have reiterated some of the important recommendations outlined in the original guidelines.