Steroids Decrease Prevalence of Positive Tuberculin Skin Test in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Implications on Anti-TNF Therapies

Table 4

Comparison of tuberculin sensitivity among RA patients based on steroid exposure (𝑛=250).

Groups based on steroid exposure	Number of patients with TST positivity (%)	Confidence interval	𝑃 value
Control S (𝑛=182)	45 (25)	17.49, 31.95	0.009
Group I (𝑛=36)	1 (3)	0.00, 9.18
Group II (𝑛=32)	5 (16)	0.52, 30.72

Control S: patients without any steroid intake within last three months.
Group I: patients with recent steroid intake defined as intake of any dose of steroid in any form (oral, intramuscular, or intra-articular) within 1 week prior to tuberculin test.
Group II: patients with history of steroid intake within last three months but not in last one week.