Journal article
Tuberculin Skin Testing of Hospitalized Patients
Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.18(8), pp.561-565
08/1997
DOI: 10.1086/647672
PMID: 9276237
Abstract
Objectives: We sought to define the prevalence of tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity in a group of newly hospitalized patients, to identify risk factors for positive tests, and to examine the impact of testing on infection control practices.
Design: Unblinded cohort study over 5 days in July 1992.
Setting: A 1,000-bed university-affiliated hospital.
Patients: All patients admitted (excluding obstetric patients and newborns) were interviewed. Patients without a history of tuberculosis (TB) or a positive TST were offered a TST with Candida and tetanus controls.
Results: Of 346 patients offered the test, 21 (6%) had a prior history of TB or a positive TST, and 36 (10%) declined to participate; 279 of the remaining 289 completed the study. Anergy was demonstrated in 94 (33.7%) of 279 patients. New positive TSTs were identified in 19 (10.3%) of 185 nonanergic patients. Of the 19 TST-positive patients, 6 (32%) had infiltrates on chest radiographs and were evaluated for active TB. One patient was treated empirically for active TB, and five received isoniazid prophylaxis. Risk factors for a new positive TST included age (odds ratio [OR], 1.56 per decade of life; P = .021), African American race (OR, 4.81; P = .008), alcohol abuse (OR, 5.53; P = .005), and peptic ulcer disease (OR, 4.53; P = .017). Risk factors for anergy included admission to a surgical service (OR, 2.1; P = .006), current use of steroids (OR, 2.65; P = .005), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (OR, undefined; P = .034).
Conclusions: Despite a high rate of anergy, routine tuberculin skin testing identified a substantial number of patients with TB infection who might otherwise have gone unrecognized.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Tuberculin Skin Testing of Hospitalized Patients
- Creators
- Keith F WoeltjeCharles M KiloKrista JohnsonJonathon PrimackVictoria J Fraser
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.18(8), pp.561-565
- DOI
- 10.1086/647672
- PMID
- 9276237
- ISSN
- 0899-823X
- eISSN
- 1559-6834
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/1997
- Academic Unit
- Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984094661802771
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