ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2016
Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr
© 2016 International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The validity of the diagnostic methods in predicting pulmonary tuberculosis
Sulhattin Arslan1*, Levent Özdemir2, Yeltekin Demirel3 and Ibrahim Akkurt1
1Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey.
2Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey.
3Department of Family Doctor, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey.
Accepted 12 March, 2015
Abstract
In our study, we aimed to determine the validity of diagnostic methods for tuberculosis. Eighty-one people suspected to have tuberculosis were included in the study. The validity of the applied methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis tuberculin skin test (TST), sputum smear, and used in diagnostic chest X-ray findings (CXR), clinical features and history were evaluated as culture was considered the reference test. Included in the study of 81 people (54 males 27 females) mean age was determined as 45.04 ± 18.69. The most sensitive diagnostic methods were detected as clinical and sputum smears (89 and 86%). The sensitivity of PPD and Radiology have been identified as 0.74 and 0.73 respectively. Diagnostic method with the highest specificity value was found to be radiology. The positive predictive values of PPD, radiology, clinical and sputum smear were identified as 98, 94, 96 and 92%, respectively. PPD had the lowest negative predictive value with 26%. In our study, the validity of the diagnostic methods for the tuberculosis are compatible with the literature. These methods in the diagnosis of tuberculosis are still valid. We think our study may add to the current data in the literature about the topic.
Key words: Validity, specificity, sensitivity, PPD, TST, sputum smear, culture, tuberculosis, clinical features.