Table 1 Baseline characteristics of smear-negative PTB suspects (n = 205)
From: Evaluation of in-house PCR for diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in Kampala, Uganda
Characteristics | Frequency | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Socio-demographics | ||
 Females | 105 | 51.2 |
 Never smoked | 140 | 68.2 |
 Smoked | 65 | 31.8 |
Clinical parameters as reported by patients | ||
 Cough (>2 weeks) | 205 | 100 |
 Fever and/or night sweats | 193 | 94.1 |
 Weight loss | 191 | 93.2 |
 Wheezing | 42 | 20.5 |
 Difficulty in breathing | 130 | 63.4 |
 Blood in sputum | 57 | 30.1 |
 Antibiotic exposure in previous 2 weeks | 84 | 41.0 |
Clinical examination (physical) | ||
 Body temperature (°C)* |  |  |
 <37.5 | 113 | 57.4 |
 ≥37.5 | 84 | 42.6 |
 ≤20 | 45 | 23.6 |
 >20 | 146 | 76.4 |
 Oxygen saturation (% measured by a pulseoximeter)* |  |  |
 ≤90 | 47 | 23.1 |
 >90 | 156 | 76.9 |
 Pulse rate, beats/min (measured by a pulseoximeter) |  |  |
 Median rate (percentile range) | 106 (88 to119) |  |
 Lung examination |  |  |
 Normal (clear chest) | 49 | 23.9 |
 Abnormal (Rhonchi, crepitation, bronchial breathing, absent breath sounds) | 156 | 76.1 |
 HIV status |  |  |
 Positive | 176 | 85.9 |
 Negative | 29 | 14.1 |
 CD4 Cell Count* (cell/ml) |  |  |
 ≤ 200 | 127 | 76 |
 >200 | 40 | 24 |