Chiu et al reported factors associated with false-positive reactions in a fourth generation HIV immunoassay in cancer patients. The authors are from the University of Texas Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Test: ARCHITECT 4th generation HIV 1 and 2 antibody and antigen combination immunoassay
Patient selection: cancer
Frequency of false-positive reactions: 29%
Predictors of a false-positive reaction:
(1) age > 60 years (aOR 7.0)
(2) female sex (aOR 6.1)
(3) therapy with a plant alkaloid (aOR 2.9; vinblastine, vincristine, paclitaxel, docetaxel)
(4) Asian ethnicity (aOR 3.0)
Factors associated with reduced risk:
(1) Black or Hispanic ethnicity
(2) concurrent syphilis (aOR 0.05)
