[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1547337510339{margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background: #ffffff url(https://epilab-sd.org/wp-content/uploads/2000/07/paper_sectionbg1.png?id=281) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]SETTING: Health services in Khartoum, Red Sea, Gadarif, Kassala, Bahr el Jebel, Gezira and North Kordofan States of Sudan.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of presenting symptoms and clinical history with grade of sputum smear positivity in tuberculosis patients.
METHODS: The 5338 tuberculosis suspects aged 15 to 49 years who consulted between March 1998 and March 1999 underwent sputum smear microscopy, with smears graded by a standardised method. Patients who gave consent had a structured interview concerning the nature and duration of their symptoms and whether they had a sick relative at home. Statistical analysis determined the association of symptoms and home characteristics with the results of smear examination.
RESULTS: A total of 514 suspects (9.6%) demonstrated acid-fast bacilli: 45 (8.8%) grade +1, 167 (32.5%) grade +2 and 302 (58.8%) grade +3. Most of the patients had a duration of symptoms of 6–9 weeks, while 100 had symptoms of more than one year’s duration, many (n = 47) with other chronic respiratory diseases. Multiple chest symptoms were positively, and duration of symptoms negatively associated with grade of positivity (P = 0.018 and 0.028, respectively). A high grade of smear positivity (+3) and the longest duration of symptoms, among those reporting symptoms of less than one year’s duration, were significant predictors of the presence of a sick household member (OR = 1.99, 95%CI 1.12–3.55; OR = 1.004, 95%CI 1.000–1.008).
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a relation between the grade of smear positivity and the clinical features of tuberculosis patients.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Get the paper” style=”outline” shape=”square” color=”black” size=”lg” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingentaconnect.com%2Fcontent%2Fiuatld%2Fijtld%2F2000%2F00000004%2F00000007%2Fart00011|title:Get%20the%20paper|target:%20_blank|”][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1547337527602{margin-top: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 5px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;background-color: #f5eaea !important;}”][vc_widget_sidebar title=”Other publications …” sidebar_id=”sidebar-publication-categories”][/vc_column][/vc_row]