       Document 0016
 DOCN  M9620016
 TI    Tuberculin screening of trauma admissions at a university hospital. A
       preventive strategy.
 DT    9602
 AU    Taneja R; Merritt S; Vanek S; Passannante M; Livingston DH; Department
       of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of; New Jersey-New
       Jersey Medical School, Newark, USA.
 SO    Arch Surg. 1995 Nov;130(11):1223-6; discussion 1226-7. Unique Identifier
       : AIDSLINE MED/96050554
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) infection in
       our trauma service population, namely, those patients who had positive
       Mantoux (purified protein derivative [PPD] [tuberculin]) tests. DESIGN:
       Prospective study. SETTING: Trauma service at a university hospital in
       Newark, NJ. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a 9-month period, 110 admitted
       trauma patients underwent screening for TB. Of these patients, 20 had
       undergone recent PPD tests in the last 6 months, of which nine were
       positive. The remaining 90 patients underwent PPD and delayed-type
       hypersensitivity skin tests (anergy panel); five patients were
       unavailable for follow-up. The patients also answered questions
       regarding human immunodeficiency virus status, risk factors for TB
       infection, and clinical symptoms. RESULTS: The mean age of the study
       group was 34 years (age range, 13 to 69 years). Eighty-four percent of
       these patients were males who belonged to the high-risk socioeconomic,
       racial, and ethnic groups (poor, non-white). The tests for 15 patients
       (17%) were newly discovered to be positive for PPD. Eleven percent of
       the patients with negative PPD tests were anergic, thus raising the
       percentage of patients with positive PPD tests to 20%. The human
       immunodeficiency virus status was known in only 41% of the total
       patients. All patients with positive PPD tests had a chest x-ray film
       performed; of these patients, positive findings for TB were determined
       for one patient. Another patient had evidence of abdominal TB at
       laparotomy. All patients with positive PPD tests were given appointments
       in the pulmonary clinic for follow-up, and only three of 15 patients
       kept their appointments. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who were admitted to the
       trauma service were predominantly young males from high-risk groups with
       a high incidence of TB infection. Their admission to the trauma service
       was a unique opportunity for screening and implementing existing
       preventive programs.
 DE    Adult  Female  Hospitals, University  Human  Male  Prevalence
       Prospective Studies  *Tuberculin Test
       Tuberculosis/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Wounds and
       Injuries/COMPLICATIONS  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

