Background: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be an important health problem, in many cases the Hospital Emergency Services (HES) are the first contact of the patients with the sanitary system, there is not known the impact of this disease in the above mentioned services. The objectives of this study are to know the importance of TB in HES and to describe hospital discharges (MBDS) with TB diagnosis and if they had already been diagnosed in the HES.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of discharges with TB diagnosis in the hospital ward and in the HES of a tertiary care university hospital from 2002 to 2006. The Diagnostic concordance study and analysis of variables according to two groups: Coincidents (discharge with TB diagnosis in the HES and in the MBDS) and Only in the MBDS. Calculate statisticals of central tendency and dispersal for the quantitative variables and proportions and tables of contingency with application of the test chi(2) for the qualitative ones.
Results: Of the 172 (0.26%) emergencies admitted which were hospital discharges with Tb diagnosis, 61(35.5%) came in HES. The diagnostic concordance was 0.43(43.66%). The hospital discharges with Tb diagnosis (coincidents) changed from 47 (17) in 2002 to 21(5) in 2006. The 65.1% (68.9% in coincidents) were males. As regards age groups (coincidents%): 0-14: 6 (33.3%), 15-45: 81(47%), 46-65: 46(28.7%), 65: 39(19.7%); excluding group 0-14, p=0.009. Respiratory location (coincidents): 110 (50) and positive direct examination of smears for acid-fast bacilli (coincidents): 87 (43). Between well-known risk factors immigration stands out (p=0.001).
Conclusions: The discharges with TB diagnosis declined during the period studied. The diagnostic concordance in the HES was moderate. We would have to insist more on seniors, and in people with well-known risk factors. In the HES the respiratory TB is also the most frequent being the direct examination of smears for acid-fast bacilli the principal diagnostic method.