Lung Resection for Tuberculosis in Children

At the Nova Scotia Sanatorium from 1944 to 1959 lung resection for tuberculosis was carried out in 1257 instances. Of these, 44 operations were performed on 41 children from 5 to 15 years of age. Two patients had bilateral surgery, and in two others a second homolateral resection was necessary. Twenty-five per cent of the operations were done for the “middle lobe syndrome”, the remainder for the reinfection type of tuberculosis. Two children died, one in the early postoperative period, of pulmonary edema, and the other six years after a second homolateral resection for progression of her tuberculous disease. Complications occurred in 20% of cases, of which 18% were early and reversible. Thirty-eight of the survivors have fully recovered and the other has improved.Pulmonary resection is required infrequently in children with tuberculosis. When it is indicated, the results are excellent. These young patients withstand major thoracic surgery extremely well.     

Radiological Findings in Young Children Investigated for Tuberculosis in Mozambique

IntroductionChest radiography remains a critical tool for diagnosing intrathoracic tuberculosis (TB) in young children who are unable to expectorate. We describe the radiological findings in children under 3 years of age investigated for TB in the district of Manhiça, southern Mozambique, an area with a high prevalence of TB and HIV.MethodsDigital antero-posterior and lateral projections were performed and reviewed by two independent readers, using a standardized template. Readers included a local pediatrician and a pediatric radiologist blinded to all clinical information. International consensus case definitions for intra-thoracic TB in children were applied.ResultsA total of 766 children were evaluated of whom 43 (5.6%) had TB. The most frequent lesion found in TB cases was air space consolidation (65.1%), followed by suggestive hilar lymphadenopathy (17.1%) and pleural effusion (7.0%). Air space consolidation was significantly more common in TB cases than in non-TB cases (odds ratio 8.9; 95% CI: 1.6-50.5), as were hilar lymphadenopathy (OR 17.2; 95% CI: 5.7-52.1). The only case with miliary infiltrates and 3 with pleural effusions occurred in HIV-infected children.ConclusionFrequent air space consolidation complicates radiological distinction between TB and bacterial pneumonia in young children, underscoring the need for epidemiological contextualization and consideration of all relevant signs and symptoms.     

Accuracy of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Test for Tuberculosis Diagnosis in Children

ObjectivesTo evaluate the accuracy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay (QFT-IT) in children with suspected active or latent TB infection (LTBI).MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 621 children (0–14 years old) evaluated for TB infection or disease. Following clinical assessment, children were tested with the QFT-IT assay.ResultsAmong the 140 active TB suspects, we identified 19 cases of active disease. The overall sensitivity for active TB was 87.5%, ranging from 62.5% in children 25–36 months old to 100% in children older than 49 months. The overall specificity for active TB was 93.6%. Among the 481 children tested for LTBI screening, 38 scored positive and all but 2 had at least one risk factor for TB infection. Among the 26 children with indeterminate results, bacterial, viral or fungal pneumonia were later diagnosed in 11 (42.3%) cases and non-TB related extra-pulmonary infections in 12 (46.1%).ConclusionsOur results indicate that the children''s response to QFT-IT associates to active TB and risk factors for LTBI. Moreover, we show that mitogen response is also found in children of 1 year of age, providing support for QFT-IT use also in young children.     

湖南省13所综合性医院住院儿童结核病的调查分析

目的:调查分析湖南省综合性医院住院病例中儿童结核病的情况.方法:回顾性调查2006年1月至2008年3月间湖南省13所综合性医院住院病人中诊断为结核病的0-14岁儿童结核病例.结果:共调查到儿童结核病(不舍潜伏结核感染病例)195例,男□女为1.67:1,农村居住与城市居住结核病人数比为2.67:1;发病比率最高的前三位依次为肺结核、结核性脑膜炎(含结核性脑膜脑炎)、淋巴结核;患病年龄以学龄期儿童(6-14岁)最多,婴儿期最少;不同年龄段结核类型有所不同,学龄期儿童以肺结核为主,其他各年龄组则多为肺外结核(淋巴结核、结核性脑膜炎);有结核病接触史者78例,有卡介苗接种史123例.其中.明确记录卡痕者62例;无卡介苗接种史或不详的患儿中结脑比率(36.1%)显著高于有卡介苗接种史患儿(28.5%);住院病例结核诊断手段多种多样,使用最多的为PPD皮试及淋巴活检.结论:我省综合医院住院儿童结核病患者并不少见,但危重结核类型比重大,其中以学龄期儿童患病人数多,卡介苗接种质量有待提高,我省儿童结核防治之路仍然任重而道远.