A STUDY ON CLINICAL SIGNS OF TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN URMIA

Tuberculosis is a major health problem worldwide, especially in developing
countries. The warning signs of pulmonary tuberculosis are chronic cough with sputum that is usually
accompanied by bloody sputum, and sometimes the symptoms may include fever, asthma, weight loss,
etc. The aim of the current study was to study the clinical signs of tuberculosis patients in Urmia city
during 2004-2007.
Materials & Methods: In this analytic cross-sectional study 248 tuberculosis patients (151 with
positive smear and 97 with negative smear) were included. The required data were gathered from the
records of patients. SPSS 16 was used to analyze the data.
Results: there is a significant difference between positive smear patients and negative smear patients
related to symptoms such as coughing, mucus existence, and sweating (p<0.05) but no significant
difference in the symptoms; fever, weight loss, asthma and bloody mucus (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Among the investigated clinical symptoms no significant differences between patients
with TB smear positive and negative. Thus when the person suspected with smear negative; it is
necessary to be followed in TB smear negative not relying on only negative of smear test result.