Evaluation of a proposed diagnostic scoring system for pulmonary tuberculosis in Brazilian children [Short Communication]

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 463 - 465
• Main Authors: SANT'ANNA, C. C, ORFALIAIS, C. T. S, MARCH, M. De F. P, CONDE, M. B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris, France IUATLD 01.04.2006; Union internationale contre la tuberculose et les maladies respiratoires
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the respiratory system; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System - standards; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Pneumology; Prevalence; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tuberculin Test; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - epidemiology; South America; Brazil; America; Human; Lung disease; Evaluation; Respiratory disease; Evaluation scale; Pulmonary tuberculosis; tuberculosis; Mycobacterial infection; Case control study; Infection; Score; Classification; Bacteriosis; Diagnosis; Child; Pneumology
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920

In a case-control study to evaluate a systematic scoring system for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children, cases had gastric lavage cultures positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and recovered after anti-tuberculosis treatment, while controls had negative cultures and recovered with non-anti-tuberculosis treatment. Radiological aspect (OR = 25.39), contact with a tuberculous adult (OR = 10.67) and tuberculin skin test ≥10 mm (OR = 8.23) were associated with PTB diagnosis. The sensitivity of the score ranged from 58% to 89% and the specificity from 98% to 86%, with cut-offs of respectively ≥40 or ≥30. The scoring system may be a useful diagnostic method in areas with a high prevalence of TB.