Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one the
oldest known diseases in human. According to its high prevalence in Iran, using
a diagnostic procedure with more rapid result than culture, more sensitive and
specific than smear and near to culture can help us to diagnose and treat the
disease rapidly and accurately, and thus control it in the community. So we
decided to evaluate PCR for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Broncho-alveolar
Lavage (BAL) and compare it with smear.
Methods: Patients who were admitted at
Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital during 2 years of 2010-11 with the impression of
tuberculosis and underwent bronchoscopy were included. Their BAL was sent for smear, culture and PCR
for tuberculosis diagnosis. Data were analyzed by mean and standard deviation
and p Value under 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Forty seven patients with
probable pulmonary tuberculosis underwent bronchoscopy. BAL cultures were positive in 6 (12.8%)
patients, smears in 5 (10.6%) patients and PCR in 3 (6.4%) patients. According
to this result smear had 83% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 98%
NPV. However PCR had 50% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 93% NPV.
Conclusion: Although PCR is a rapid and new
tool for TB diagnosis, smear- which is an older way- is simpler has lower cost
and is feasible in all points of Iran and still is a better method for TB
diagnosis.
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