Saunders et al reported a score for identifying an adult at increased risk for tuberculosis following contact with an adult with tuberculosis. This can help to identify a person who should have continued follow-up. The authors are from multiple institutions in England, Peru and the United States.
Patient selection: age >= 15 years in a coastal town in Peru
Parameters:
(1) body mass index in kilograms per square meter
(2) history of tuberculosis
(3) age in years
(4) sustained exposure to index case
(5) sex of index case
(6) lower community household socioeconomic position
(7) exposed to indoor air pollution
(8) any household member with a history of tuberculosis
(9) low number of windows in home
Parameters
Findings
Points
body mass index
(BMI)
history of TB
no
0
yes
-4
age in years
15 to 19 years
-2
20 to 50 years
0
> 50 years
-2
sustained exposure
no
0
yes
-4
sex of index case
male
-4
female
0
low socioeconomic position
no
0
yes
-2
indoor air pollution
no
0
yes
-2
family member with history of TB
no
0
yes
-4
windows in home
0
-3
< 2 windows for 2-3 rooms
-3
< 3 windows for 4 rooms
-3
< 4 windows for 5-6 rooms
-3
other
0
B26>=19,"low",IF(B2B2
score =
= SUM(points for all 9 parameters)
Interpretation:
• The higher the score the lower the risk of tuberculosis.
Score
Risk
<=11
high risk
12 to 18
medium risk
>= 19
low risk
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